Vales Tosses a Gem as NSU Remains Alive in MEAC Tourney, Eliminate FAMU 6-3

NORFOLK, Virginia  – Junior right hander Josh Vales struck out a career-high 12 batters over 7.2 innings, pitching Norfolk State past Florida A&M 6-3 on Saturday night to keep the Spartans alive in the 2014 MEAC Baseball Tournament at Marty L. Miller Field.

The Spartans (22-25) advance to another elimination game at 5 p.m. Sunday against the loser of the 1 p.m. game between Bethune-Cookman and Savannah State. The winners of Sunday's two games advance to Monday's championship round.

Vales (3-5) allowed just five hits and one run while walking three. The 12 strikeouts are the most by a Spartan pitcher since Justin Bhatti also fanned 12 against Coppin State on April 20, 2012. It was Vales' second straight win in as many starts.

Third baseman Justin Burrell knocked in three runs for the second time on the day, while catcher Omar Hotusing added two hits and two RBI.

Vales got off to a rocky start, allowing singles to the first three FAMU batters of the game. Jared Walker and Bennie Robinson had the first two, then Marlon Gibbs singled in Walker to make it 1-0 before the game was five minutes old. But Vales settled down, striking out Jeremy Barlow and Ryan Hutson to limit the damage.

But NSU answered immediately with three runs in the top of the second. Cameron Day led off with a single, Ross Cardwell walked and Cody Ellis reached on a bunt single to load the bases. One batter later, Hotusing hit a two-run single to left-center and Justin Lee followed with an RBI single of his own to make it 3-1.

Burrell had an RBI single to stretch the lead to 4-1 in the third. After that, FAMU starter William Carrasco settled down, but Vales kept the Spartans in front with a masterful performance. After the three straight hits in the first, Vales allowed just a single to Kendall Weeks in the fifth and an infield single by Ryan Kennedy in the eighth.

Burrell tacked on a two-run single in the eighth to give the Spartans some breathing room with a 6-1 advantage. NSU would need it as FAMU (26-26) threatened in both the eighth and ninth innings. FAMU got two on in the eighth, and Spartan reliever Jeff Di Fulgo got Jeremy Barlow to strike out to end the threat.

The Rattlers made it interesting in the ninth as Weeks walked, went to second on a wild pitch and scored on Michael Birdsong's bloop single. Pinch runner Taylor Strauss then scored on a two-out error to bring FAMU within 6-3. But Di Fulgo struck out Gibbs, the potential tying run, to seal the win.

Di Fulgo fanned three batters in 1.1 innings, giving Spartan pitchers 15 strikeouts in the contest.

Burrell, Hotusing, Cardwell and Andre' Moore had two hits apiece for the Spartans. Walker was 2-for-5 for the Rattlers.

Carrasco (3-6) took the loss for FAMU, allowing six runs (five earned) in seven innings.

Box Score

Mike Bello, Asst. SID
COURTESY NORFOLK STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION