Dover, Del. (Apr. 11, 2016) --- Austin Bentley singled in the winning run with the bases loaded and one out in the bottom of the ninth inning to lift Delaware State to a 6-5 victory over Norfolk State in a MEAC North contest at Soldier Field this afternoon. The Hornets avoided a sweep in the three-game series to improve to 6-5 in the MEAC (6-25 overall), while the first-place Spartans fell to 7-4 (13-15).
The score was 5-5 when the Hornets came to bat in the last of the ninth. Pinch hitter Cameron Onderko doubled off Norfolk State reliever Cooper Jones to lead off the inning. Todd Henry followed with a double to the fence in right field, but pinch runner Jaylen Zielecki could only advance to third base on the hit. The next batter, Kwestin Smith, was intentionally walked to load the bases.
Norfolk State then made a pitching change, replacing Jones with Michael Parmentier, who retired Darnel Maisonet on a short fly ball to left for the first out of the inning. Bentley followed with a high chopper over the head of Spartan shortstop Justin Lee to drive in Zielecki with the winning run.
The winning hit capped off a big day for Bentley, who was four-for-five with two RBI in the game to raise his season average to .286.
The walk-off hit also made a winner of Maisonet, who threw 3.2 innings of one-hit scoreless relief to record his first collegiate victory (1-3). He was also two-for-four with two RBI at the plate.
Norfolk State opened the scoring with three runs in the top of the fourth inning off DSU starter Terry Godfrey. Chase Anderson and Tony Leite had run scoring singles, while the Spartans scored their third run on a fielder's choice groundout.
The Hornets answered with a run in the bottom of the third. Bentley singled with two outs and scored on a double down the field line by Devin Beverly to cut Norfolk State's lead to 3-1.
Delaware State scored three times in the fifth to take the lead. The big blow in the inning was a two-run double by Maisonet to tie the game at 3-3. The Hornets scored the go-ahead run when Masionet scored from third on a wild pick-off attempt by NSU starter by Devin Hemmerich with two outs in the inning.
The Spartans answered with two runs in the top of the sixth to regain the lead. Lee singled in the tying run and Norfolk State pulled back ahead when a run scored on a DSU error.
The Hornets tied the game with a run in the bottom of the seventh. Kwestin Smith walked with two outs and later scored on a single to center by Bentley.
Cooper (2-2) was tagged with the loss for Norfolk State.
DSU returns to action with a non-conference home game against Navy on Wednesday. Start time is scheduled for 3 p.m. at Soldier Field.
The Hornets will wrap up their season-long 13 game homestand with a MEAC North series against Coppin State this weekend. The teams will play a doubleheader on Saturday (Apr. 16) at 12 pm, and wrap up the series with a single game on Sunday, also at noon.
