Tides find success with NSU in exhibition match

NORFOLK, VA - Sammy Serafine is a second baseman and recruiter. Raymond Morton is a pitcher and salesman. Baseball scouts seek out five-tool players, but Norfolk State coach Claudell Clark sometimes sees six or seven.

"It's no secret," Clark said, "We want local players to help us gain local exposure to help us get more local players and more fans."

The Spartans lost 1-0 to the Norfolk Tides in a seven-inning exhibition game Tuesday - a Tides pitcher threw three innings for NSU to limit the strain to the pitching staff - but for the second straight year, Norfolk State delivered a sizeable crowd to the Tides as the Triple-A team opened its home for the season.

The Tides had often played exhibition games against Old Dominion, but their first against Norfolk State drew 8,509 last season. In the game's second year, on a chilly Tuesday, the crowd totaled 8,804.



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Norfolk State Spartans 0, Norfolk Tides 6

Brandon Snyder collected four hits and seven Tides relievers held Norfolk State to two hits in a 6-0 win in front of 8,509 fans Tuesday night at Harbor Park. Snyder singled four times to pace Norfolk's 11-hit attack, while Josh Bell singled and added an RBI triple. Lou Montanez, Scott Moore and Miguel Abreu each added an RBI single for the Tides, while Joey Gathright added two stolen bases and a run scored. Seven Tides hurlers combined on the two-hit shutout, with Ross Wolf striking out the side in a perfect inning of work.

The contest was the first between the two teams and benefited the Norfolk State University baseball program. Brandon Hairston and James Taylor each singled for Norfolk State, who continue their MEAC schedule on Saturday with a doubleheader against Maryland Eastern Shore. The Tides open up their regular season on Thursday night against the defending International League Champion Durham Bulls, with first pitch slated for 7:15 pm.

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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.