FINAL SCORE: Norfolk State 4, Apprentice School 3

RECORDS: Norfolk State 19-24; Apprentice School 26-12

LOCATION: Marty L. Miller Field/Norfolk, VA

IN BRIEF: A two-run bottom of the eighth proved to be the difference on Thursday night as NCAA Division I Norfolk State defeated The Apprentice School 4-3.

ON THE FIELD

• The Builders scored an early run with no hits in the top of the first as Brock Harris walked and went to second on a Chris Aldridge ground out.  He went to third on a passed ball and scored as Mark Labrador reached on an error.
• The Spartans answered with a run in the bottom of the inning as Justin Lee singled and stole his way to third before scoring on a Ross Cardwell double.
• Norfolk State took a 2-1 lead in the third as with one out Zach Markel singled and advanced to second on a Cameron Day single.  A walk to Cardwell loaded the bases before a groundout by Cody Ellis scored Markel.
• Apprentice School tied the game in the sixth as Mark Labrador singled and went to second on a balk.  Trevin Wilson followed two batters later with a single up the middle to score Labrador to tie the game 2-2.
• The hosts pushed two runs across in the bottom of the eighth on an RBI single from Andre Moore and a sacrifice fly from Kyle Vaas to take the 4-3 lead and eventual win.

BEHIND THE BOXSCORE

• Wilson was 4-for-4 on the game to lead the Builders who out-hit the Spartans 12-11.  That tied his career high that he had done on four other occasions.
• Aldridge, Labrador and Lee Rossi had a pair of hits apiece for the Builders.
• Four different Spartans had two hits – Markel, Day, Cardwell and Justin Burrell.

NEXT UP – USCAA NATIONALS

The Builders will play on Monday afternoon at 2:30 pm EST when they'll face fifth-seeded Briarcliffe College in the opening round of the 2014 USCAA Small College World Series in Springfield, Illinois.