DOVER, Del. – Norfolk State softball threw a pair of shutouts on Friday afternoon, defeating Delaware State 4-0 and 6-0 in a MEAC doubleheader at The Hornets Nest.
NSU got off to a hot start in the last conference series of the year. The sophomore duo of Cam Andersen and Alexis Robinson pitched all but one inning combined in limiting the Hornets to 11 hits on the day. The Spartans ran their win streak to four while all but assuring themselves of a MEAC Tournament berth.
Norfolk State (18-13 overall, 11-6 MEAC) is guaranteed to finish no worse than tied for second in the division. NSU can officially secure a spot in the conference tournament with one win on Saturday, or either one Howard loss to Coppin State next week or one Morgan State win over Coppin State next weekend.
Senior Tuli Iosefa had three hits and three RBI over the course of Friday's twinbill action, and senior Jazzmaine Hammond added three hits and three stolen bases. Junior Denisha Megginson drove in a pair of runs in game 2 to spark the Spartan offense, which had 11 hits in that second game alone. NSU dropped Delaware State to 10-19 overall, 8-9 in the league.
Andersen (7-3) had a solid outing in the first contest, giving up five hits in six scoreless innings for the win while striking out four. Robinson, meanwhile, improved to 5-5 after allowing six hits in seven scoreless innings in the nightcap.
The Spartans started the day's scoring with an unearned run in the third inning of game 1. Junior Lily Potter reached base on a hit by pitch, stole second two outs later, and scored thanks to back-to-back errors on DSU. The Spartans then added some separation in the fifth with three more runs.
This time senior Jade Dixon got plunked by a pitch before stealing second, and Hammond drove her home with a single into center for a 2-0 advantage. Hammond stole third on ball 4 to sophomore Imani Moore, who later stole second herself. Iosefa followed with a two-run single into right field for a four-run lead.
Hammond finished with a pair of hits in the game.
Mayanah McIntosh (3-5) took the loss for the Hornets, allowing four hits and four runs, three earned, with six strikeouts in five innings.
The Spartans again got on the board in the third inning of game 2. Hammond singled and scored on Iosefa's RBI double, and junior Brooke Bond followed with another RBI two-bagger as NSU led 2-0.
Then in the sixth, the Spartans loaded the bases leading up to Megginson's two-run single into left field. Hammond lofted a sac fly to right later in the inning for a five-run lead. Sophomore Morgan Johnson hit a pinch-hit, RBI single in the seventh to complete the scoring.
Iosefa, Megginson and junior Gabby Vaughan each had two hits in the second contest, including a pair of doubles for Vaughan.
Maikyla Nelson (3-5) gave up five runs and nine hits in five innings of work to take the loss.
The two teams will finish out the series with another doubleheader on Saturday beginning at 1 p.m.