WINSTON-SALEM, NC – Winston-Salem State scored early and often, and rode the hot bat of freshman second baseman, Randy Norris, as the Rams defeated the UVA-Wise Cavalier, 9-5 Wednesday evening at BB&T Ballpark in Winston-Salem.

With the win, the WSSU Rams snapped a three-game losing skid, and improve to 13-15, while the UVA-Wise Cavaliers fall to 10-13.

After falling behind 1-0 in the top of the first, the WSSU Rams answered in the bottom half, with a pair of runs to take their first lead. Michael McNamara singled home Brandon Fowler and Nathan Steger, give push the Rams out in front, 2-1.

WSSU would add to their lead in the second, when Randy Norris blasted a two-run home run to left field to give the Rams a 4-1 lead.

The Rams would keep the pressure on the cavaliers, when they added a run in the fourth inning, on an Orlando Cannon sacrifice fly, that would score Phillip Page to give the Rams a 5-1 advantage.

UVA-Wise chipped into the WSSU lead in the sixth, when they would plate two runs, cutting the Rams lead to 5-3.

But on this night, the Rams had answers, and powered by rbi's from Randy Norris and Jason Baytop, and Baytop also scoring on a wild pitch, WSSU opened the game wide open with the three run sixth, to go back out in front, 8-3.

Not quite done, Ivan Acuna singled in the bottom of the seventh, scoring Landon Steiner who doubled earlier in the inning, pushing the Rams lead to 9-3 heading into the final innings.

The Cavaliers would add one more run in the eighth inning, when a runner scored on a WSSU wild pitch.

Jordan Cummings would come in and slam the door shut in the ninth, giving Winston-Salem State the 9-4 victory.

Devin McLemore picked up the win for WSSU, going 5.0 innings, giving up three hits and one run, while striking out one. Hayden O'Neal pitched an inning in relief, giving up three hits and two runs, while Austin Cole also pitched an inning, with one walk and two strikeouts. Orlando Cannon pitch 0.2 inning, allowing two runs on two hits with a walk. Kanoa Hironaka went 0.1 inning, and Jordan Cummings pitched the final inning, walking one and striking out two.

Winston-Salem State will jump back into CIAA play, when they travel to Petersburg, Va. this weekend to take on the Trojans of Virginia State.