Nick Johnson went 3-for-5 with three runs scored and four runs batted in as visiting Bethune-Cookman completed a three-game MEAC sweep of Norfolk State, 12-6, on Sunday afternoon at Marty L. Miller Field.
B-CU improves to 22-17 overall, 9-0 in the MEAC while NSU falls to 14-21, 6-5.
As they did in game two on Saturday, the Wildcats struck early and strung together multiple big innings. B-CU scratched across an unearned run in the first as Paul Biocic walked, stole two bases and scored on an NSU error for a 1-0 Wildcats’ lead.
Unable to manage a hit in the first three innings off Spartan starter Justin Bhatti (1-5), the Wildcats scored four times in the fourth and four more in the fifth. Johnson had a two-run double and B-CU scored twice more thanks to a two-out Spartan error in the frame.
Johnson added a two-run single as B-CU scored four more times in the fifth to take a 9-0 lead.
The Spartans plated their first run on a John Rasberry RBI single in the bottom of the fifth, and Sammy Serafine hit a sacrifice fly in the sixth to make it 9-2.
B-CU scored once in the seventh to take a 10-2 edge, but NSU cut it to 10-5 with three runs in the bottom of the seventh. Ryan Montgomery had a two-run single to cap the rally. But the Wildcats added two insurance runs in the ninth. Brashad Johnson hit an RBI single and Matt Wright scored on a wild pitch.
NSU third baseman Chris Joyce accounted for the game’s final run with a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the ninth.
B-CU outhit NSU 12-9. Peter O’Brien had two doubles, and Ryan Durrence and Brashad Johnson both singled twice.
James Taylor and John Lynch both went 2-for-5 for NSU. Brandon Hairston was 1-for-3 with a triple and two runs scored, extending his hitting streak to 13 games. Rasberry extended his hitting streak to 14.
Patrick Goelz got the win for the Wildcats to improve to 4-3. He allowed one run in five innings. Bhatti (1-5) took the loss for the Spartans, allowing three hits and four runs, two earned, in three innings.
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