Thanks to a collective pitching effort, the Norfolk Tides ended their three-game slide Friday night with a 4-0 victory over Lehigh Valley before 11,877, one of the biggest crowds this year at Harbor Park.
Connor Norby was 3 for 4 and scored twice in his return from injury for the Tides (21-22).
After Nansemond-Suffolk Academy junior-varsity softball player Allie Rogers threw out the first pitch, six Tides took the mound. It began with Tucker Davidson, who shut out the IronPigs on three hits for three innings.
Lehigh Valley (16-24) had been one of the International League’s worst offensive teams until arriving in Norfolk, and the IronPigs couldn’t turn any of their seven hits into runs. Matt Kroon had three of those hits, including two doubles.
Eventual winner Corbin Martin, making his Baltimore organizational debut after recently being acquired on waivers from Milwaukee, then threw one inning. He pitched in the majors for Houston in 2019 and, after Tommy John surgery, Arizona in ’21 and ’22.
Luis Gonzalez threw two innings, and Dillon Tate, Matt Krook and Wandisson Charles closed the triumph with an inning apiece.
After starter Mick Abel, the Phillies’ No. 3 prospect according to MLB.com, walked three batters, Maverick Handley’s bases-loaded single brought home Nick Maton in the second inning with the game’s first run.
In the fifth, the Tides’ Heston Kjerstad hit a sacrifice fly to center field, bringing home Jackson Holliday. Billy Cook then doubled to left field, plating Norby for a 3-0 lead. Cook doubled home Norby again in the seventh.
The series’ fifth game is set to start at 6:35 p.m. Saturday, with Norfolk left-hander Cade Povich (4-1, 2.16 ERA) set to start against right-hander Ricardo Pinto.
A three-run home run by Maverick Stallings in the top of the sixth inning propelled Old Dominion to a 6-4 series-opening win at Georgia State on Thursday evening in Atlanta.
Trailing 3-2, Steven Meier drew a one-out walk and advanced to second on an Evan Holman single back to the pitcher. Meier was then called out on the field trying to steal third base, but the Monarchs (28-23, 14-14 Sun Belt) challenged the ruling, which was overturned. Stallings then connected on a 3-2 pitch, belting it over the wall in left for his third home run in the last two games.
The Panthers (24-30, 12-16) got a run back with a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the sixth to trim the ODU lead to 5-4. In the eighth, Holman led off with a double down the left-field line, moved to third on a wild pitch and came around as TJ Aiken grounded into a 6-4-3 double play.
ODU reliever Vincent Bashara, who entered the game in the seventh inning, retired nine in a row to help secure the victory.
Friday’s game, originally scheduled for 6 p.m., was moved to a noon start due to expected thunderstorms later in the day.
James Madison 14, Troy 10: Junior Fenwick Trimble, a Cox High graduate, matched his career-high in hits, going 4 for 5 with a double, a homer, three runs scored and three RBIs as the Dukes (31-20, 16-12 Sun Belt) won a series opener over the Trojans (35-19, 17-11) in Alabama.
Another JMU junior, former Peninsula Pilot Todd Mozoki, improved to 5-1 on the year behind four-plus innings of one-run ball, giving up one hit and striking out three. JMU is believed to be in the running for an NCAA at-large berth, and this series is crucial for the Dukes.
No. 18 Virginia 7, Virginia Tech 3: Starting pitcher Evan Blanco did not allow an earned run over 7 1/3 innings as UVA (38-14, 16-12 ACC) won a series opener against the Hokies (32-18, 14-14) in Charlottesville.
Coach Brian O’Connor collected his 360th ACC win, surpassing former North Carolina head coach Mike Fox for the seventh-most ACC victories in league history.
Virginia never trailed in the contest and scored five runs on homers by Eric Becker, Jacob Ference and Western Branch High graduate Harrison Didawick. The solo homer in the fifth inning by Didawick was his 20th long ball of the season. He became the third player in UVA history to hit 20 home runs in a season, joining Jake Gelof in 2022 and ’23 and Brian Buchanan in 1994.
Due to inclement weather in the forecast, the series’ Friday game was moved up to noon from 6 p.m.
Campbell 9, William & Mary 5: The Tribe (29-23, 12-13) fell to the Camels (30-21, 11-14) in a series opener in Buies Creek, North Carolina, imperiling W&M’s hopes of qualifying for the six-team Coastal Athletic Association Tournament.
Stony Brook (24-25, 12-12), W&M, Hofstra (22-30, 12-13) and Campbell are jockeying for the final two spots. The Tribe can ensure a tournament berth by winning the series’ final two games, but taking just one of the final two might not be enough.
Joe Delossantos hit RBI singles in the first and sixth innings for the Tribe, Nate Goranson was 2 for 3 with a run and Ben Parker had a double, a run and a sacrifice fly.
For Campbell, Dylan Koontz was 3 for 5 with two runsand three RBIs, Peyton Bonds was 3 for 5 with two RBIs and Chandler Riley was 2 for 2 with two runs.
W&M erased a 5-2 deficit with a three-run seventh, only to yield a run in the bottom of the seventh and three in the eighth. Carter Lovasz (1-5) took the loss.
Le Moyne 5, Norfolk State 3: Host NSU (12-39, 7-24 Northeast Conference) lost to Le Moyne (20-27, 12-18) of Syracuse, New York, in the opener of the Spartans’ final series.
A four-run fourth put the Dolphins ahead 4-0 off NSU starter Dalton Barham. In the fifth, Kydese Queen and Raphael Rodriguez singled and scored for the Spartans, cutting the deficit to 4-2.
Le Moyne scored an unearned run off reliever Joe Lafave in the seventh, and NSU’s Jalan Jones hit a solo homer in the eighth.
The Spartans will finish the season with a noon Friday doubleheader, with Senior Day festivities set for 11:30 a.m.
General Daily Insight for May 16, 2024
Getting things done probably won’t be as simple as we think it should be today. When the fussy Virgo Moon contradicts energetic Mars in Aries at 6:48 pm EDT, our efforts to assert ourselves are likely to be met with criticism. It’s possible that our objections will sound ridiculously petty. Still, hearing them out as patiently as we can has the potential to help us accomplish whatever we’re trying to do more skillfully. We’ll ultimately need both passion and accuracy as we push forward!
Aries
March 21 – April 19
Your body might not live up to your expectations today. Perhaps you think you should be capable of some physical feat that makes you look impressive. Despite that, as the candid Moon in your 6th House of Daily Routines challenges athletic Mars in your sign, you’ll probably get only the results that you’ve earned over time. If you’re disappointed by that outcome, this is a great opportunity to establish a renewed exercise habit. Start with what will reliably happen, not what flatters your ego.
Taurus
April 20 – May 20
You may long to express yourself at the moment, but you’re also aware that you ought to hold some information back. A desire to protect others’ feelings is understandable. Still, while the emotional Moon in your passionate 5th house conflicts with seething Mars in your 12th House of Secrets, your true opinions are probably more obvious than you want them to be. Passive aggression has a way of poisoning the atmosphere, so consider the idea that open conflict isn’t your only bad option.
Gemini
May 21 – June 20
Social life may seem like a burden at present. Your friends might want you to go out and do stuff with them, but maybe you’re actually more interested in staying home. Your worries regarding what this conflict means for you in the long term could be the worst part of your dilemma. This isn’t a statement on how you’ll feel forever — it’s just about what you need today. Honor your desire, but don’t make it any bigger than it has to be.
Cancer
June 21 – July 22
Being careful how you talk about an important goal may be necessary at this time. You potentially have a lot of energy to charge ahead. Regardless of your ability to handle criticism or praise, you’ll need to be aware that not everyone you encounter is qualified to provide genuine, authoritative feedback. While the impressionable Moon in your communication sector distracts focused Mars in your ambitious 10th house, a careless remark can throw you off. Don’t go looking for uninformed opinions.
Leo
July 23 – August 22
Your longing for a grand adventure could crash on the rocks of reality at any moment. While the anxious Moon in your money zone reins in ardent Mars in your travel sector, you’ll have to acknowledge when there are limits to what you’re able to afford. A few constraints don’t have to be the end of the story! Having boundaries, chosen or not, can sharpen the focus of your planning. Even if you don’t get everything you want, you can complete something valuable!
Virgo
August 23 – September 22
Finding a comfortable balance in a developing relationship may be difficult today. With the vulnerable Moon in your sign, your emotional neediness is potentially heightened. That might cause you to misread a situation and delve into sensitive matters that the other person isn’t prepared to address with you. When in doubt, take things slower than you think you need to — a connection that’s truly meant to be should last long enough for you to reveal yourself at a relaxed pace.
Libra
September 23 – October 22
You might be conflicted regarding your current efforts to build a relationship. Although you may be excited about your prospects, you may also be worried that you’ll lose your privacy! If you feel like the other person is pressuring you to share more than you’re comfortable with, that’s not a good sign. Contrastingly, your expectations are potentially a bigger part of the problem. You aren’t required to share every secret you hold all at once — or, in most cases, ever.
Scorpio
October 23 – November 21
Knowing a friend needs you can flatter your ego. On the other hand, you might find it hard to tear yourself away from your official work — perhaps you’re really on a roll! To decide how to spend your time today, you’ll have to figure out what’s most urgent. You’ll potentially feel resentful about bailing your pal out of a problem they could really solve without you if they had to. Consider serving as a role model rather than as a savior.
Sagittarius
November 22 – December 21
Concerns regarding your reputation could weigh on you now. As the perceptive Moon in your public 10th house conflicts with passionate Mars in your 5th House of Self-Expression, you may be acutely aware that pursuing your desires in a vacuum isn’t possible. Other people are likely to see what you’re doing, forming potentially conflicting opinions in response. You’ll have to be realistic about that in both directions — acknowledge the potential practical effects of their judgment, but do your best not to exaggerate them.
Capricorn
December 22 – January 19
You likely crave stimulation today — deciding where to look for it might be the hard part. With the desirous Moon in your 9th House of Adventure, you may be tempted to go somewhere outside your usual stomping grounds. That said, perhaps you’re also aware that you could accomplish a lot of positive change if you stayed home and focused your efforts there. Dealing with parts of your immediate environment that you don’t often see has the potential to satisfy both longings!
Aquarius
January 20 – February 18
Building emotional intimacy with a loved one could currently seem urgent. Unfortunately, as the hungry Moon in your 8th House of Sharing riles up pushy Mars in your conversation zone, interrogating your companion too aggressively has the potential to rub them the wrong way. You’re better off giving your connection room to unfold at its natural pace, even if that seems frustratingly slow. Not every question needs to be answered — you can learn to live with a healthy amount of mystery.
Pisces
February 19 – March 20
Maintaining control over your resources could seem critical to you now. While the clingy Moon in your relationship sector nags individualistic Mars in your 2nd House of Possessions, you might explode if another person tries to tell you what to do with your money or belongings. It’s okay to defend your turf, but make sure you aren’t contributing to an ongoing problem by demanding everyone stick to inconsistent expectations. What’s yours is yours — just remember that what’s theirs is theirs, too.