PRINCESS ANNE, Md. (Interstat) — Maryland-Eastern Shore defeated Norfolk State 9-3 on Friday afternoon in the first game of a doubleheader at Hawk Stadium, using a four-run seventh inning to break open what had been a one-run contest.

The Hawks improved to 8-32 overall, while the Spartans dropped to 16-25.

Norfolk State struck first in the top of the first inning. Thomas Ealey singled and stole second, then scored on a double by Justin Journette to take a 1-0 lead.

Maryland-Eastern Shore answered immediately. Julian Jimenez doubled to right center. Jonathan Gonzalez walked. Ansel Carson walked to load the bases. Joshua Caldwell hit a sacrifice fly to center, scoring Jimenez. Darrius Brown was hit by a pitch to reload the bases. Bronson Taylor lifted a sacrifice fly to left, scoring Gonzalez. With two outs, Henry Clausell walked to load the bases again. Champion Shipley singled to right field, driving in two runs and giving the Hawks a 4-1 lead.

Norfolk State tied the game in the top of the fourth. Cam Mazell singled and Ryan Hoeft singled. After a sacrifice bunt by Brendan Burke, Kydese Queen doubled to left, scoring both Mazell and Hoeft to make it 4-4.

The Hawks regained the lead in the fifth. Gonzalez was hit by a pitch. Carson walked. An error by Norfolk State’s left fielder allowed Caldwell to reach, loading the bases. Brown grounded into a fielder’s choice that forced Gonzalez out at home, but Taylor’s sacrifice fly to center scored Carson for a 5-4 lead.

The pivotal moment came in the bottom of the seventh. Reliever Donovan Whitfield took the mound for Norfolk State. Gonzalez singled up the middle. Carson doubled to left center, scoring Gonzalez. Caldwell walked. Brown singled through the left side, scoring Carson. After a strikeout, Clausell singled through the left side, driving in Caldwell. Shipley then popped up to shortstop for a sacrifice fly, scoring Brown. The inning stretched the lead to 9-3.

Norfolk State threatened in the top of the seventh. Hunter Gillespie singled and stole second, and Jaydan Israel walked, putting two on with two outs. But Ealey flied out to center to end the inning. The Spartans put two on in the eighth on singles by Journette and Mazell, but Hoeft grounded into a double play. In the ninth, Queen singled but was erased on another double play.

Pitcher Esteban Torres earned the win for Maryland-Eastern Shore, working six innings and allowing six hits and three earned runs while striking out four. Henry Clausell earned a save with three scoreless innings of relief, allowing four hits and striking out one.

For Norfolk State, starter Ethan Blakeney pitched five innings, allowing four earned runs on no hits but walking four and striking out three. Whitfield took the loss, allowing four earned runs on three hits in three innings.

Offensively, Queen led the Spartans with two hits and two RBIs. Journette had two hits and an RBI. Ealey added two hits. For the Hawks, Shipley drove in three runs on one hit. Carson had a double and an RBI. Taylor drove in two runs on sacrifice flies.

Norfolk State outhit the Hawks 10-7 but grounded into two double plays and left runners in scoring position. Maryland-Eastern Shore executed four sacrifice flies, a key factor in the outcome.

The teams will meet again Sunday. Norfolk State’s next 10 games include a series at Stonehill, while Maryland-Eastern Shore travels to Mount Saint Mary’s.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of Norfolk State 3, Maryland-Eastern Shore 2. Interstat’s ELO system had projected Norfolk State with a 58.00 percent probability to win.