NEW YORK (Interstat) — A five-run fourth inning, capped by a three-run homer from Josiah Harrison, was not enough for Norfolk State as the Long Island Sharks rallied from an early deficit to claim a 7-5 victory in the first game of a Saturday doubleheader at Long Island University Field.

The win evened both teams’ records in the young series and on the season. Long Island improved to 2-7 overall, while Norfolk State fell to 2-10.

The game turned on a disastrous third inning for Spartans starter Walker Fuller. After his team staked him to a 5-0 lead before he even threw a pitch, courtesy of a five-run top of the first inning highlighted by a two-run double from Cord Dobrinski, Fuller surrendered the lead in the bottom of the third. He allowed six runs on five hits, including back-to-back home runs. Ryan Rivera cut the deficit to 5-4 with a sacrifice fly, and two batters later, Elijah Fairchild launched a two-run homer to put the Sharks ahead 6-5.

That surge erased the early work of Norfolk State, which had batted around in the first against Long Island starter Justin DeCastro. DeCastro settled in after the rocky start, lasting six innings and allowing five runs on five hits with six strikeouts to earn the win.

The most critical response came in the top of the fourth. Trailing by a run, the Spartans mounted their biggest threat. Justin Journette was hit by a pitch and Cam Mazell singled before Mason Mompoint drove in a run with a single to tie the game at 6. Harrison then delivered the biggest blow of the day for Norfolk State, a three-run homer to right field that vaulted the Spartans back into a 9-6 lead.

But the Sharks immediately chipped away. In the bottom of the inning, Michael Polubinski, named the top star for Long Island, doubled and later scored on a passed ball to make it 9-7. Long Island tied the game in the fifth on an RBI double from Mason Breton and took the lead for good in the sixth on a two-run single from Fairchild, his fourth RBI of the game.

The Sharks’ bullpen sealed the victory with three scoreless innings. Isaac Beebe worked the seventh and eighth, allowing one hit, and Alex Jankowski pitched a perfect ninth for the save.

Harrison was the standout for Norfolk State, going 3 for 4 with a home run, three RBIs and two runs scored. Reliever Ethan Blakeney provided four innings of strong relief, allowing no hits and one unearned run while striking out four, but the Spartans’ offense was held to just two hits after the fourth inning.

For Long Island, Fairchild finished 2 for 3 with a home run and four RBIs, while Polubinski went 2 for 3 with a double, a home run, two RBIs and two runs scored. Rivera also homered for the Sharks, who collected eight hits as a team.

The two teams were scheduled to conclude the doubleheader later Saturday afternoon.