NORFOLK, Va. - Catcher Omar Hotusing went 2-for-4 with two runs batted in, and designated hitter Kyle Vaas hit a solo homer and also knocked in two to lead Norfolk State to a 7-3 win over Jackson State in the rubber game of the teams' three-game series at Marty L. Miller Field on Friday afternoon.
With the win, the Spartans (26-14) surpassed the 2007 (25-25) and 2008 (25-24) teams for the most single-season wins in NSU's Division I era. The Spartans, who were playing their regular-season finale on Friday, also finished the year with a 15-2 home record, the best in Marty L. Miller Field history.
Stephen Butt (5-1) allowed two runs, one earned, over five innings to pick up the win on the mound for NSU. Michael Parmentier allowed one unearned run in 2.1 innings of relief and Josh Vales pitched 1.2 scoreless innings to close out the victory.
Vaas got the Spartans on the board with a long solo homer over the 392-foot sign in right center to lead off the bottom of the second off JSU starter Alexander Juday (5-6). It was Vaas' second homer of the season.
The Tigers battled back with two runs in the top of the third against Butt. JSU had four consecutive hits to lead off the inning, with Jovany Felipe scoring Melvin Rodriguez with an RBI single and Jesus Santana doubling in Felipe to give the Tigers a 2-1 advantage.
But NSU responded with two runs in the bottom of the third to regain the lead for good. Third baseman Troy Applin led off the second with a single, the first of his three hits on the day. Two outs later, outfielder Angel Rosario scored Applin with a single to right field to tie the game. Roger Hall followed by lofting a double deep into the gap in left-center to plate Rosario with the go-ahead run.
NSU doubled its lead in the sixth on the first of Hotusing's two RBI singles on the day. He added another in a three-run seventh that also included two costly JSU errors as NSU stretched its edge to 7-2.
Butt allowed six hits and fanned five batters in his five innings of work. Juday (5-6) took the loss after allowing eight hits and four runs in 5.2 innings of work.
Hotusing, one of nine NSU seniors playing in their final home game, went 2-for-4 with two RBI. Applin, another senior, had a career-best three hits in four at-bats.
Gary Thomas went 5-for-5 for the Tigers (30-23).
The Spartans have the next four days off before opening play in the six-team 2015 MEAC baseball tournament next Wednesday in Salisbury, Md.