Game 1 Box Score
Game 2 Box Score
NORFOLK, Va. – Sophomore Chris Warren (Virginia Beach, Va.) tallied five hits and five RBI over the course of the doubleheader, withsenior left hander Chase Davenport (Wooster, Ohio) and sophomore right hander Kyle Davis (Gilbert, Ariz.) combining on a three-hit shutout in game two of the Spartans' sweep of Florida A&M on Saturday afternoon at Marty L. Miller Field.
The Spartans took game one 11-7, then won game two 12-0 to improve to 18-23-1 overall, 8-9 in the MEAC. The Rattlers drop to 10-30-1, 3-14.
In game one, Warren matched his career high with three RBI, and NSU used a late-inning surge to pull out the victory.
FAMU rallied from deficits of 4-0 and 5-2 in the opener, using a four-run six highlighted by John Scott's two-run single, to take a 6-5 lead over the Spartans. But NSU answered with three runs off five hits in the bottom of the sixth to take lead for good. Cameron Parsons (Chesapeake, Va.), TiQuan Griffin (Florence, S.C.) and Ryan Wiggins (Hayes, Va.) all had run-scoring singles in the frame.
Warren added a two-run single in NSU's three-run eighth inning that put the game out of FAMU's reach.
Jason Barker (Chesapeake, Va.) earned the win to up his record to 4-5. He allowed six runs and six hits in six innings. Freshman Ray Morton (Chesapeake, Va.) pitched the final three innings for his first career save.
Heath Blackburn (2-7) was charged with the loss after yielding 12 hits and eight runs, five earned, over six innings.
Game two wouldn't be as close as the Spartans jumped out to a big early lead. John Lynch (Newport News, Va.), John Rasberry (Suffolk, Va.) and Brandon Hairston (North Garden, Va.) hit consecutive two-out RBI singles to give NSU a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the first.
The Spartans all but put the game out of each by plating six runs in the third, thanks to four hits and two Rattler errors. Warren capped the frame by ripping a two-run triple down the right field line. Warren later scored on the play as FAMU's right fielder overthrew his cut-off man, allowing Warren to trot home.
NSU extended its lead to double digits with a three-run bottom of the fourth. Sammy Serafine (Chesapeake, Va.) started the rally with an RBI double, and Griffin capped it with a two-run single.
Davenport (4-3) and Davis did the rest. Davenport allowed just one hit while striking out three in five innings. Davenport faced the minimum 15 batters in five innings. He retired the first six Rattlers of the game before Darius Washington led off the third with a single. Washington was quickly erased on a double-play grounder, the first of eight straight hitters Davenport set down to finish his stint and earn the victory. Davis allowed two hits in two scoreless frames to finish off the win.
NSU pounded out 27 hits in the two games. Warren led a long list of standouts by going 5-for-9 with five RBI in the two games. Lynch added five hits and swiped three bases. Griffin and Wiggins added four hits apiece, with Griffin stealing three bags and knocking in a pair of runs in both games.
In addition, Spartan junior third baseman Chris Joyce (Chesapeake, Va.) hit his MEAC-leading 22nd double of the season in game one, breaking NSU's career doubles record. Joyce now has 46 career doubles, topping the 45 by Juan Serrano (2004-07).
Derrick Shaw was 3-for-5 in game one for FAMU, but was the losing pitcher in game two after allowing 12 runs (six earned) in 3.1 innings pitched.
The teams conclude their series and their respective MEAC schedules on Sunday. With a win, the Spartans would earn the No. 3 seed in the MEAC Tournament later this month.
