NORFOLK, Va. — Danny Hosley capped a tremendous weekend for Norfolk State pitchers with 10 strikeouts over eight innings, and Norfolk State completed a four-game MEAC sweep of Coppin State on Sunday with a 9-3 win at Marty L. Miller Field.
Hosley, Dionte Brown and Mason Velasquez all had two hits for NSU (15-20, 11-5 MEAC), which scored two runs apiece in the fifth through eighth innings to win their sixth game in a row.
Brown singled, stole second and scored on a Velasquez single in the first. The Eagles (5-21, 3-12) plated a run in the second as starting pitcher Jordan Hamberg tripled and scored on a Matt Day sacrifice fly.
The Spartan bats came alive in the fifth. Shortstop Jaran Davis led off with a double and scored on a single by Alsander Womack. Womack took third on a single by Hosley and scored on a sacrifice fly by Mason Velasquez to put NSU in front, 3-1.
The Spartans scored twice more in the sixth. Coppin State relief pitcher Matt Perkins retired the first two batters of the inning, but walked both Adam Collins and Davis. Brown followed with a single to score Collins and the Eagle outfielder overran the ball, allowing Davis to come around all the way from first to make it 5-1.
Jacob Council hit an RBI single and Velasquez scored on an Eagle run in the seventh. Hosley tacked on an RBI double and Womack drove in a run with a fielder's choice in the eighth.
Womack and Velasquez both had two RBIs for NSU. Davis (1-for-1) and Collins (1-for-3) both scored two runs. Both also recorded a stolen base, as the Spartans notched five thefts on the day.
Hosley allowed six hits and one run and did not walk a batter. His streak of five straight complete games ended, but he now has pitched at least seven innings in six straight games.
NSU's pitchers racked up 41 strikeouts in 32 innings and posted an ERA of 1.69 in the series sweep. Hosley was one of four Spartans to strike out at least 10 hitters in the series, along with James Deloatch and Dalton Barham.
Hamberg was 4-for-4 for the Eagles, but took the loss on the mound. He allowed three runs in five innings. The Spartans travel to Delaware State for a four-game series next Friday through Sunday in Dover, Delaware.
