DOVER, Del. - In its first extra inning games of the season, the Norfolk State softball team defeated Delaware State 5-3 and 9-4 in eight innings on the road on Saturday.

The Spartans (12-14, 5-3 MEAC) secured the victory against the Hornets (15-13,5-3 MEAC) in game one after successfully coming back down 2-1 in the seventh.

In the seventh, Kailey Bryant scored on an error by the DSU second baseman, to tie the game 3-3. Bryant reached on a hit by pitch and advanced to second on Aniyah Michalak's walk before being scored on the error.

Freshman pitcher Amaya McPherson posted a 1-2-3 bottom of the seventh to send the game into extra innings.

To begin extras, McPherson began on second and advanced to third on a Lauren Sheehan pop up. 

Riddick was up next. She walked in her at-bat to put runners on the corners for Norfolk State. 

Norfolk State scored a run to take the lead after Ennovi Sandoval reached on a fielding error by the DSU left fielder, allowing McPherson to score from third and Riddick to advance. Norfolk State held a 3-2 lead.

With two outs, Kira Turner would reach on a fielding error by the second baseman, that not only allowed Riddick to score but it allowed for Sandoval to score as well, garnering the Spartans a 5-2 lead.

The Hornets began with a runner on second down three runs in the bottom of the eighth. With a a sacrifice hit to McPherson, the Spartans secured the first out of the inning, whilst the Hornets advanced to third.

A sacrifice fly to right field brought in that runner for the Hornets, but it wasn't enough to secure the comeback, as the Spartans would go on to win game one, 5-3.

McPherson, who pitched all 8.0 innings, grabbed the winning decision after allowing only six hits and two earned runs against 30 batters faced.

Game two saw the Spartans put up six runs in the top of the eighth for a dominant victory. 

The Spartans took an early lead 2-0 in the top of the first on a double by McPherson and a single by Kachelle Refour. The Hornets responded with a three-run bottom of the first to take a 3-2 lead over the Spartans.

A run scored by NSU in the top of the fifth tied it at 3-3. With two outs, Queen Olivia Edmonds reached on a single to center field to put a runner on for the Spartans.

Back-to-back singles by McPherson and Refour scored Edmonds to tie the game at 1-1 through five innings.

The game goes into extras after neither team is able to score in a run.

In one of the most prolific innings this season, the Spartans tallied four hits to total six runs, to go along with two DSU errors.

To begin extras, Edmonds was placed on second base, with McPherson leading off. McPherson reached after being hit and Maddy Morris reached on an error to load the bases for the Spartans.

A one-run single by Lauren Sheehan and a two-run single by Bristyl Riddick gave the Spartans a 6-3 lead. 

A sacrifice bunt by Ennovi Sandoval advanced Sheehan to third. Kira Turner singled and advanced to second to score Sheehan, 7-3.

A fly out by Kailey Bryant scored Savannah Stover from third, who came in to pinch run for Riddick. The Spartans took an 8-3 lead.

An insurance single by Aniyah Michalak scored Turner to give the Spartans a 9-3 lead which they never relinquished.

The duo of Maddy Morris and Kailey Bryant held the Hornets scoreless through six consecutive innings.

The Spartans hold a three-game winning streak over the Hornets heading into the final game of the series tomorrow set to begin at 12 p.m., before traveling to Greenville, N.C. to play East Carolina on Wednesday.

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