NORFOLK, Va. (Interstat) — Jeremy Cheeseman hit a two-run home run and drove in four runs as Fairleigh Dickinson defeated Norfolk State 11-8 on Sunday at Bud Metheny Baseball Complex.

The Knights won the three-game series two games to one after losing the opener Friday. Fairleigh Dickinson improved to 31-16-1, while Norfolk State fell to 18-28-1.

Fairleigh Dickinson overcame a 1-0 deficit after the first inning. Norfolk State struck first when Justin Journette singled down the left-field line, driving in Thomas Ealey, who had singled and stolen second. The Knights answered in the third inning. J. Gomez walked, scored on a single by H. Ray, and Ray later scored on a throwing error after L. Russo stole second. Cheeseman followed with a two-run single, scoring Russo and G. Plummer, who had walked, giving Fairleigh Dickinson a 4-1 lead.

The Knights added a run in the fourth when C. Walker scored on a wild pitch. Norfolk State answered in the bottom of the fourth when Kydese Queen grounded out, scoring Emmett Jefferson, who had doubled.

The game turned in the sixth inning. With the Knights leading 5-2, Diego Urreta doubled to right field, scoring Plummer and Russo. Cheeseman then homered to right field, scoring Urreta and himself, expanding the lead to 9-2.

Norfolk State responded with a five-run sixth. Queen doubled to left center, driving in Brendan Burke and Cam Mazell. Mason Mompoint, pinch hitting, doubled down the left-field line, scoring Queen and Sean Stewart. Jaydan Israel doubled to right field, scoring Mompoint, cutting the deficit to 9-7.

Fairleigh Dickinson added two runs in the seventh. Russo hit a sacrifice fly, scoring Walker, and a passed ball allowed T. Stroh to score, pushing the lead to 11-7. Norfolk State scored its final run in the eighth on Journette’s groundout, scoring Stewart.

Cooper Montelbano started for Fairleigh Dickinson and pitched five innings, allowing two earned runs and no hits with three strikeouts. Derek Bartek earned the victory with three and one-third innings of relief, allowing one earned run and no hits with four strikeouts.

For Norfolk State, Queen had two hits and three RBIs. Mompoint went 1 for 1 with two RBIs. Yasseel Samboy pitched three innings of relief, allowing one hit and two earned runs with three strikeouts.

Fairleigh Dickinson managed only six hits but took advantage of nine walks and four hit batters to score 11 runs. Norfolk State collected 11 hits but left seven runners on base.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of Fairleigh Dickinson 8, Norfolk State 5, and its ELO system gave the Knights a 72.10 percent probability to win.