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NCCU Eagles Fall Short to Norfolk State in Championship Game

Joe Scurto

NORFOLK VA – The NCCU Eagles (27-20) were defeated by Norfolk State (25-26) 7-6 in extra innings in the MEAC Championship. The victory came down to the final out of the 11th inning, officially crowing the Spartans champs of the MEAC. The NCCU Eagles put everything on the line, and despite the defeat, they finished off their final season, making a statement.     

Chris Krennrich took the ball for the Eagles in his sixth start of the season. He worked as both a starter and reliever going 4-5 with a 5.54 ERA during the regular season. He lasted one 2/3 innings and gave up two hits, one earned run, three walks, and struck out one. The lone run he surrendered occurred in the bottom half of the first inning as Danny Hosley continued to swing a hot stick for the Spartans knocking in an RBI single.

The Eagles offense did not hesitate to put themselves on the board as the first five batters in the first reached. Luis DeLeon (two hits), and Jacob Raby recorded RBI singles against Spartans starter Dalton Barham to go up 2-1. It remained a 2-1 ballgame until the third and the Eagles would double their lead. DeLeon built on his successful day, smacking a one-out double, and was later brought in by Cameron Norgren. Kobe Phillips finished the scoring parade versus Barham with an RBI single to make it 4-1 Eagles.

Brenton Fisher relieved duties from Krennrich in the bottom of the second and allowed his only run in the bottom of the third. Fisher did his job like he has done all year, going three 1/3 innings, giving up just one earned run. Sam Murchison, Scott Meylan, Caleb McRoy, Gavyn Byrd, and Ryan Miller also made appearances out of the pen.

The Spartans sent the game to extra innings adding runs in the eighth and ninth innings, with Dionte Brown and Jacob Council recording RBI to tie it at 4-4. Norgren immediately responded in the 10th with his team-leading ninth home run, sending a two-run blast over the right-field fence. The Spartans tied things back up in the same frame and clinched their championship title in the bottom of the 11th with a walk-off single by Alsander Womack to conclude a 7-6 victory.

The Eagles had a tremendous run, and even though it did not end the way they envisioned. Their 26 win season will go down as one of the best program history.