Salisbury, Md. (May 13, 2015) --- Delaware State overcame an early seven-run deficit and squandered a three-run lead before rallying in the ninth inning to defeat No. 1 seed Norfolk State 13-11 in a wild MEAC Tournament contest at Arthur W. Perdue Stadium this evening.
The third-seeded Hornets are now one win away from reaching the tournament championship round for the second time in the last four years. DSU will face either Florida A&M or Savannah State in a third round match-up on Thursday at 4 p.m.
A win on Thursday would give the Hornets a spot in Saturday's championship round in the double-elimination tournament.
Delaware State (16-27) trailed 11-10 entering the ninth inning, but scored three runs without a hit in the inning to take the lead. The Hornets tied the game at 11 when Chris Gonzalez was hit by a Josh Vales pitch with two outs and the bases loaded. DSU took the lead for good when Charles Dailey and Cameron Onderko scored on a Norfolk State error on a ground ball by Justin Allen.
Hornet reliever Hunter McVey (1-0) retired the Spartans in order in the bottom of the ninth to earn the win.
Delaware State scored three runs in the seventh, eighth and ninth innings to highlight the improbable comeback from a seven-run first-inning hole.
Norfolk State started quickly in the contest, scoring seven runs off Hornet starter Jaylen Zielecki in the bottom of the first inning. The Spartans had five consecutive hits after Zielecki retired the first batter. Robbie Hiser smacked a two-run double, while Roger Hall and Ryan Kilmon had run-scoring singles in the inning. Norfolk State also scored two runs on bases loaded walks and another on a passed ball in the first.
Delaware State began its comeback when Allen singled with one out and scored on a sacrifice fly by Jake Bartlett in the fourth inning to cut the Spartans' lead to 7-1.
The Hornets got back into the game when Gonzalez hit a three-run homer to right field off NSU starter and 2015 MEAC Pitcher-of-the-Year Matt Outman in the fifth inning to pull to within 7-4. David Kimbrough and Onderko scored ahead of Gonzalez after drawing walks.
Gonzalez was two-for-four with four runs batted in to give him four hits and seven RBI in seven at bats in the Hornets' two tournament games. He has six home runs and a team-high 37 RBI this season.
DSU completed the seven-run comeback with three runs in the top of the seventh inning. The Hornets had two hits and took advantage of two Norfolk State errors in the inning. Allen drove in a run on an infield single and Gonzalez scored the tying run on a Spartan throwing error.
Delaware State made it 10 unanswered runs after scoring three times in the eighth inning. Allen and Ron Farley had run-scoring singles and Onderko produced a run on a bases loaded walk. Farley's two-out hit scored Gonzalez to give the Hornets a 10-7 lead.
Norfolk State answered with four runs in the bottom of the eighth to take an 11-10 lead. The Spartans scored the go-ahead run on a DSU error following a hit by Kilmon in the inning.
Hornet freshman reliever Terry Godfrey kept Norfolk State at bay after relieving Zielecki in the first inning. Godfrey shutout the Spartans for six innings before allowing two runs in the eighth.
Allen was three-for-six with three RBI, while Farley and Dailey had two hits each for the Hornets.
Hiser was three-for-five with two RBI and five other Spartans had two hits each.
Vales (3-3), the third Norfolk State pitcher of the game, was the tough-luck loser. He allowed two hits and three runs, each unearned, in two innings.
Norfolk State (26-15) will play a tournament elimination game on Thursday at 9 a.m.
