NORFOLK, Va. - FDU Baseball (30-16-1, 23-6 NEC) used a three hit, four RBI ballgame from second baseman
Caleb Walker to top the Norfolk State Spartans (19-27, 15-14 NEC) on Saturday afternoon at Marty L. Miller Field.
The Knights fell behind in the bottom of the second, as starting pitcher
Jeremy Cheeseman let up a solo home run, allowing the Spartans to take a 1-0 lead into the third inning. There, FDU would punch back with
Caleb Walker's first RBI of the day, as he launched a two run home run for the second of his season, scoring himself and
Nick Quagliato in the process. Later in the third,
Hunter Ray would hit homer number 27 of his historic season, pushing the FDU lead out to two runs.
FDU's lead would not last long as Norfolk State answered with four runs in the bottom of the third. Three RBI singles for the Spartans added to the total runs that Cheeseman surrendered, and FDU once again found themselves behind by a pair of runs after the first third of the ballgame.
Norfolk State would push their lead out to as many as three runs before the Knights put on a big time rally in the sixth and seventh innings. The rally opened with
Travis Stroh being hit by a pitch with the bases loaded, followed by a
Johnathan Gomez sacrifice fly.
FDU would get a zero from reliever
George Creighton, and then take the lead in the seventh with a two run double from
Caleb Walker. FDU would then add a run on a wild pitch, and then the Knights got a RBI double from
Johnathan Gomez, scoring
Caleb Walker, and giving FDU a 9-6 lead.
The tandem of
George Creighton and
Nick Noble did surrender a pair of runs in their outing, but Creighton would end up with the win, and Noble the save. The Knights offense even got an extra insurance run in the top of the ninth, turning the ballgame over to Noble where he shut the door on the Spartans for his seventh save of the season.
FDU won their 30th ballgame of the season Saturday afternoon, which is good for the second most wins in one season in the school's history. FDU also secured conference win number 23, which is already a new record that is continuing to be broken.
FDU and Norfolk State will compete in the rubber match of the three game set tomorrow at Marty L. Miller Field. First pitch is set for noon, and
Cooper Montelbano will have the ball for the burgundy and blue.
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