SALISBURY, Maryland - Freshman outfielder Avery Tunnell (Dover, Delaware) sent the Maryland Eastern Shore baseball team home happy with a 7-6 walk-off win over the Norfolk State Spartans Sunday (Mar. 25).

"It was great to get a win to boost our confidence." Hawks coach Brian Hollamon. "Our lineup produced up and down the order and our pitching came up big to keep us in the game. Today proves that we are getting better and better every time we take the field."

The Shore (3-20, 2-4 MEAC) had their most productive offensive showing of the year, batting .378 (14-37) on the day. Sophomore Dwayne Marshall (Piscataway, New Jersey) and freshman Jordan Torres (Brooklyn, New York) collected three hits each. Both players also drove in a run and scored. Senior Jamison Trower (Chesterfield, Virginia), sophomore Blake Coleman (Woodbridge, Virginia) and Tunnell also had multi-hit outings.

Behind the offense were exceptional pitching performances from seniors Evan Bertone (Douglas, Massachusetts) and Chris Melrath (Rising Sun, Maryland). Bertone went five for the start, allowing two earned in a no-decision. Melrath earned the win with four innings of scoreless relief and three strikeouts.

Norfolk State (7-14, 5-1 MEAC) received a three hit game from senior shortstop Justin Burrell.

The Spartans capitalized on a Hawks error to score three times in the second inning. The Shore responded with an RBI double by Torres to score Coleman. Marshall's single in the third cut the deficit to 3-2 after three innings.

Norfolk put up three more runs in the fifth to build their largest lead at 6-2. In the bottom of the sixth the Hawks immediately responded with a Trower sacrifice fly to bring it back within three.

Senior Tyler Friis (Appleton, Wisconsin) inched the Hawks closer with an RBI single in the sixth. Later in the frame, Torres and freshman Dillon Oxyer (Pasadena, Maryland) executed a double steal which sent Torres home, pulling the Hawks within one.

With two on and no one out in the seventh, it looked like fate would turn on the Hawks again as the Spartans' second baseman booted a ball that took a lucky bounce, resulting in a double play. But Tunnell's grounder to short was not fielded cleanly, and Trower came home to tie the score.

Melrath's pitching quieted a Spartans threat in the eighth and through the ninth. It was Marshall who started the rally, followed by a single from junior Dominic DeBlasie (Tilton, New Hampshire). Tunnell patiently worked the count to 2-2, and then ripped a sharp liner up the middle. Marshall scurried home, sliding past a potential game saving tag for the win.

Maryland Eastern Shore will battle Mount St. Mary's in a midweek contest at Arthur W. Perdue Stadium. First pitch will be at 1 p.m. Tuesday (Mar. 27).