Life threw him a curve, but it couldn't keep him down

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NORFOLK, VA - Mark Young II was coming off what he thought was a breakthrough baseball season in 2006. A Norfolk State junior, Young established himself as one of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference's top pitchers after compiling a 3.21 ERA - second-best in the league - and tossing a two-hit shutout against defending league champion North Carolina A&T. "I felt great about myself," he said recently. "I couldn't wait until the next season."

It never came.

These days, Young is the varsity coach at Booker T. Washington High - a few blocks from where he flourished on the mound for Norfolk State, but a long way from his playing days and his dream of pro baseball. At Granby High, Young was a hard-throwing right-hander whose fastball was consistently clocked near 90 mph. Young, a first-team All-Eastern District pick as a senior, then spent a season at Louisburg (N.C.) College. Young transferred to Norfolk State and in the spring of 2006, helped the Spartans finish 11-7 in the MEAC, the program's best regular-season finish.

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Hairston's hit in 10th sends NSU to victory

NSU Spartans, Suffolk native to play vs. Norfolk Tides‎

Head Coach Claudell Clark and the Norfolk State Spartans will play an exhibition game against the Norfolk Tides, the triple-A affiliate of the Baltimore Orioles, on Tuesday, April 6 at 7:15 pm at Harbor Park. Tickets for the event are $5.00, ($3.00 for students) with all proceeds from the contest going towards the NSU Spartans baseball program.

When Norfolk State’s baseball team gets to play the Norfolk Tides in an exhibition game at Harbor Park Tuesday night, it’ll be just one more reason why Suffolk native John Rasberry’s happy he’s worked and played his way to Norfolk State and the Spartan baseball squad. Rasberry was a standout outfielder and pitcher at Lakeland until transferring to Greenbrier Christian in Chesapeake as a junior.

With the Gators, Rasberry was a two-time all-Tidewater Conference and All-State (Virginia Independent Schools) player and on a state-championship Greenbrier club while hitting .475 in his senior season. Rasberry went to college and played ball for two years at Delaware Tech Community College before being recruited and coming to Norfolk State. Getting the chance to play Division I baseball was certainly one goal. Coming back close to home is a huge bonus.

“I’ve been away the past couple years. It’s great now playing in front of faces I know basically every home game. People who, for my whole life, have been cheering me on, are able to watch me play. It’s really fun,” Rasberry said. As the starting leftfielder and leadoff hitter for the Spartans, Rasberry’s hitting .371 (26-for-70) with 18 runs, three doubles, two homers, six stolen bases and 12 RBI.

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"We are really excited to welcome Norfolk State to Harbor Park for this exhibition game" said Tides President Ken Young. "This is a great opportunity for fans to catch their first glimpse of the 2010 Tides in action, and hopefully this is the start of a long-term relationship with an institution that is very important in the Hampton Roads community."

"We are pleased to have the opportunity to compete against the Norfolk Tides," Norfolk State head baseball coach Claudell Clark said. "The game will give our baseball program greater exposure in the Tidewater area as well as serving as a key fundraiser for us. We look forward to making the event a success each year."

This game supplants the annual exhibition game the Tides had played against the Old Dominion University Monarchs.

BCU Tops Norfolk State, 5-2 to Complete Series Sweep

Daytona Beach, Fla. - Eric Thomas struck out seven over seven innings, and Jose Ortiz went 3-for-4 with two RBI as first-place Bethune-Cookman completed a three-game MEAC sweep of Norfolk State with a 5-2 win on Sunday afternoon at Jackie Robinson Ballpark.

Thomas moved to 6-0 on the hill as he allowed just three hits and two runs (one earned) for the Wildcats (22-13, 9-0 MEAC). Phil Enright got the save by pitching the final two innings on the bump. For Enright, a strong right-hander from nearby Deltona, it was his third save in four attempts this year.

NSU starting pitcher and stud ace Leon Schabacker took the loss for NSU (13-13, 3-6 MEAC) to drop to 4-3. He allowed four earned runs in seven innings, striking out three Wildcats in the process.

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Norfolk State Spartans hope transfers will fill gaps

Photo: Norfolk State University head baseball coach Claudell Clark

NORFOLK, VA - Moriba George doesn't hide the fact that his early days with the Norfolk State baseball program were a struggle. "My first year was the worst year of baseball I've ever had," said George, a senior shortstop. "We were like 0-and-February."

But, later that season, things began to change as the Spartans made a surprise run to the MEAC title game. The next year, they went 11-7 in MEAC play, setting their record for regular-season MEAC wins.

Now the Spartans, who open their season Friday against Chicago State in a tournament in Savannah, Ga., are hoping to take another big step.

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http://www.nsuspartans.com/schedule.aspx?path=baseball&schedule=9&

Norfolk State University 2008 Baseball Schedule

HBCU Baseball Classic
2/22/2008 Chicago State Savannah, Ga. 1:30 p.m. Details
2/23/2008 North Carolina Central Savannah, Ga. 10:30 a.m. Details
2/24/2008 Savannah State Savannah, Ga. 1:30 p.m. Details
2/26/2008 Liberty Norfolk, Va. 2 p.m. Details
3/1/2008 Lafayette (DH) Norfolk, Va. 1 p.m. Details
3/2/2008 Lafayette Norfolk, Va. Noon Details
3/5/2008 Longwood Norfolk, Va. 3 p.m. Details
3/8/2008 North Carolina Central (DH) Norfolk, Va. 1 p.m. Details
3/9/2008 North Carolina Central (DH) Norfolk, Va. 1 p.m. Details
3/12/2008 Old Dominion Norfolk, Va. 3 p.m. Details
3/16/2008 Longwood (DH) Norfolk, Va. 1 p.m. Details
3/19/2008 Virginia Military Institute Norfolk, Va. 3 p.m. Details
3/22/2008 * North Carolina A&T (DH) Greensboro, N.C. 1 p.m. Details
3/23/2008 * North Carolina A&T Greensboro, N.C. Noon Details
3/26/2008 Old Dominion Norfolk, Va. 6 p.m. Details
3/29/2008 * Coppin State (DH) Norfolk, Va. 1 p.m. Details
3/30/2008 * Coppin State Norfolk, Va. Noon Details
4/2/2008 Liberty Lynchburg, Va. 3 p.m. Details
4/3/2008 Virginia State Norfolk, Va. 3 p.m. Details
4/5/2008 * Maryland Eastern Shore (DH) Norfolk, Va. 1 p.m. Details
4/6/2008 * Maryland Eastern Shore Norfolk, Va. Noon Details
4/8/2008 William & Mary Norfolk, Va. 6 p.m. Details
4/12/2008 * Bethune-Cookman (DH) Daytona Beach, Fla. 1 p.m.
4/13/2008 Bethune-Cookman Daytona Beach, Fla. Noon Details
4/16/2008 Virginia Military Institute Lexington, Va. 5 p.m. Details
4/19/2008 * Delaware State (DH) Dover, Del. 1 p.m. Details
4/20/2008 * Delaware State Dover, Del. Noon Details
4/23/2008 Longwood Farmville, Va. 3 p.m. Details
4/26/2008 Savannah State (DH) Norfolk, Va. 1 p.m. Details
4/27/2008 Savannah State (DH) Norfolk, Va. Noon Details
4/30/2008 Virginia Commonwealth Richmond, Va. 6 p.m. Details
5/3/2008 * Florida A&M (DH) Norfolk, Va. 1 p.m. Details
5/4/2008 * Florida A&M Norfolk, Va. Noon Details
5/6/2008 Richmond Norfolk, Va. 6 p.m. Details
5/10/2008 Gardner-Webb Boiling Springs, N.C. 1 p.m. Details
5/11/2008 Gardner-Webb (DH) Boiling Springs, N.C. Noon Details
2008 MEAC Baseball Championship
5/15/2008 MEAC Championship Norfolk, Va. TBA Details
5/16/2008 MEAC Championship Norfolk, Va. TBA Details
5/17/2008 MEAC Championship Norfolk, Va. TBA Details
5/18/2008 MEAC Championship Norfolk, Va. TBA Details