NORFOLK, Va. — The University of Maryland Eastern Shore dropped both games of its Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference doubleheader on Saturday afternoon against Norfolk State. 

Despite holding a late lead in game one, the Hawks fell 4-3 in a walk-off finish before dropping the second contest 9-0 in five innings at NSU Softball Field.

The Score
Norfolk State (14-15, MEAC 9-8) - 4
Maryland Eastern Shore (2-27, MEAC 1-9) - 3

Game Two
Norfolk State (15-15, MEAC 10-8) - 9
Maryland Eastern Shore (2-28, MEAC 1-10) - 0

How it Happened 
Game one
A three-run rally in the bottom of the seventh stunned the Hawks on Saturday afternoon, as UMES dropped a 4-3 decision to Norfolk State in walk-off fashion at NSU Softball Field.

UMES led for most of the game behind timely hits and small ball execution, but Norfolk State strung together a trio of late hits in the final frame to steal the win.

The Hawks broke through first in the third inning. Senior Nola Mountain reached on an error and scored two batters later when freshman Clarke Calvin drove a double to the gap in left center, putting UMES ahead 1-0.

Norfolk State evened things in the bottom half with an RBI triple, and the score remained tied until the fifth when the Hawks capitalized on more defensive miscues. Junior DeNae Ojeda reached on an error and later scored on Mountain's RBI single. Calvin and junior Paige Perkins helped move runners along, and senior McKenzie Abiley beat out an infield single to tack on another run and give UMES a 3-1 lead.

The Hawks held that advantage into the seventh, thanks in part to clean defense and steady pitching. UMES retired the side in the sixth, and in the top of the seventh, junior Jaycee Holt led off with a single up the middle. Mountain and Calvin dropped down back-to-back bunts to move Holt to third, but the Hawks couldn't add insurance.

That missed opportunity proved costly. Norfolk State opened the bottom of the seventh with a walk and a double to set up the tying runs. A two-run double to center tied the game at 3-3. One batter later, a single up the middle completed the walk-off comeback.

Mountain finished 2-for-4 with two runs scored and an RBI. Abiley added two hits and an RBI, while Calvin drove in a run with her third-inning double.

Game two
UMES collected just two hits through the first five innings and couldn't slow down a red-hot Norfolk State offense, falling 9-0 in the final game of Saturday's doubleheader at NSU Softball Field.

After a scoreless first inning, Norfolk State broke through with a six-run second. The Spartans delivered seven hits in the frame, including five consecutive singles and a pair of stolen bases, to pull ahead 6-0.

UMES had a chance to strike in the top of the first after a single by Calvin, but the Hawks were caught off guard on the base paths, ending the frame on a pickoff at first. In the second, freshman Kai Hudson reached on an error, but the inning ended with another pickoff to keep the Hawks scoreless.

Norfolk State stayed aggressive in the third, adding three more runs to stretch the lead to 9-0. UMES' starter, sophomore Paris Richards, was relieved by freshman Kassidy Oneail in the fourth, who pitched a 1-2-3 inning to quiet the Spartan bats.

Holt provided a spark in the fourth with a single to center and a stolen base. She advanced to third on a groundout by Mountain, but UMES couldn't bring her home.

The Hawks were retired in order in the fifth to close out the shortened game.

UMES was held to two hits — one each from Holt and Calvin — and was unable to draw a walk or reach via hit-by-pitch. Holt also swiped a base, her team-leading 19th of the season.

By the Numbers 

• Nola Mountain recorded her second multi-hit game of the season in just five games, adding her second double and third stolen base of the year.
• Freshman Araceli Manzo notched her first hit since March 14.
• The Hawks' three sacrifice hits in game one marked a season high for moving runners along the base paths.
• UMES tallied three RBIs in the opener, their most in a game since March 14 (8).
• Kassidy Oneail pitched six total innings across both games, allowing three hits, one earned run, one walk and striking out five.
• Paris Richards threw four innings in game two, striking out a season-high four batters. The Oregon City, Oregon, native now has 17 strikeouts on the season.

Next Up
UMES will play the final game of its three-game series against Norfolk State on Sunday, April 6, at 1 p.m.

Stay updated with UMES softball at UMESHawkSports.com and follow along on Twitter (@UMEShawksSB) and Instagram (@umeshawkssb).