NORFOLK, Va. - Junior right hander Alex Mauricio tossed six scoreless innings and freshman shortstop Adam Collins hit a pair of RBI singles to lift host Norfolk State to a 4-1 win over Villanova in the season-opener for both teams on Friday night at Marty L. Miller Field.
Brian Beard celebrates after scoring a run.
Mauricio, a closer turned starter making his first career start, struck out a career-high nine batters and allowed just five hits in six shutout innings. Junior righty Michael Parmentier worked the final three innings to record the save, fanning eight batters out of the nine outs he recorded.
Collins, meanwhile, got the Spartans (1-0) on the board with a two-out RBI single in the top of the first inning in his first career at-bat. His base hit to left scored senior outfielder Denathan Dukes, who led off the game with a walk and stole second and third bases.
NSU added another run off preseason Big East Pitcher of the Year Hunter Schryver in the second. Junior catcher Ismael Herrera led off the frame with a double and scored on a sacrifice fly by junior third baseman Justin Burrell.
Collins added another two-out RBI single in the fifth. Dukes scored the Spartans' final run in the seventh as he singled and later scored on a two-out passed ball.
That was more than enough for the combination of Mauricio and Parmentier. Mauricio struck out at least one batter in five of his six innings of work. His previous career-long pitching appearance was 4.1 innings. Parmentier mostly cruised through his three innings of relief, falling one strikeout shy of his career high of nine strikeouts. Villanova avoided the shutout with a two-out, RBI single by pinch hitter J.P. Radvany in the ninth.
Collins finished the game 2-for-4. Dukes scored two runs, stole two bases and went 1-for-3.
Schryver took the loss for the Wildcats (0-1), allowing four hits and two runs in four innings of work.
The teams play game two of the series at 3 p.m. Saturday.
