April 24, 2009

Final Stats

KNIGHTDALE, N.C.- The North Carolina Central University baseball team took on the Florida A&M University Rattlers on Friday afternoon at Knightdale High School, allowing a 9-6 lead to slip away late falling 12-9, and dropping their seventh straight decision.

The third meeting between these two was a rollercoaster affair that saw FAMU start the ballgame off with two consecutive doubles by center fielder Darryl Evans and Steve Cunningham giving the Rattlers the 1-0 lead with one out in the top of the first. Designated hitter Derrick Shaw drove Cunningham in to add one more run to the board making it 2-0 still with one out in the frame. After right fielder Stavone Martin hit another single, first baseman Tim Jones grounded into a 6-4-3 double play keeping the score at 2-0.

NCCU sophomore, Blake Murray, led off the bottom of the second with a stand-up double. Murray found his way home, thanks to two wild pitches by FAMU hurler, Timothy Schalch cutting the NCCU deficit to 2-1. With one out Robert Landis reached base on an error by FAMU second baseman John Scott. After a groundout to second base by Eagle freshman Cedrick Coleman, another freshman Ross Plummer jacked his first career home run over the left field wall vaulting the host Eagles to the 3-2 lead after two innings.

In the third inning, the Eagles loaded the bases after a walk by freshman Anthony Wilson, single by sophomore David Scott, and a walk by Murray. The fourth batter of the frame sophomore Edward Pegues hit a hard groundball up the middle scoring both Wilson and Scott, making it 5-2 with one out. After a single by senior Robert Landis the bases were chock full of Eagles for the second time in the inning, and once again, it was Plummer who came up big for NCCU. The Winston-Salem native brought in another two runs thanks to his second hit of the day, giving him four RBI on the afternoon. Plummer came into Friday's affair with just two RBI on the season. After three complete innings, NCCU led Florida A&M 7-2.

After the Rattlers plated two runs in both the fourth and top of the fifth cutting its deficit to 7-6, NCCU answered back with a Robert Grant two-RBI single up the middle to widen the margin to three at 9-6. That would wind up being the final runs for NCCU on the day.

With the score 9-7 in the top of the eighth, the Rattlers struck the final blow. With two outs FAMU shortstop Jared Jeffries hit a triple to keep the Rattlers alive. That ignited a five-run inning for Florida A&M that came on the heels of five hits including two triples, that put the Eagles behind 12-9.

That proved to be the final tally in the ballgame as NCCU fell for the seventh straight time. NCCU finished the Friday afternoon contest with 10 hits, while Florida A&M slapped 18 hits in the win. After Douglas Dalley pitched 5.1 innings, no other pitcher lasted more than 1.1 innings with sophomore Brandon Oatis (1-6) taking the loss for the Eagles. Oatis faced only two batters in the outing.

Shining bright for NCCU despite the defeat, Plummer went two-for-two with four RBI, Pegues went two-for-five with two RBI, and Murray ended up going for two-for -three with a double.

NCCU (5-27) on the season has the weekend off, and will get back to action next Tuesday, April 28 in doubleheader action against UNC Wilmington at 4:00 p.m. at Brooks Field.