May 4, 2009
DURHAM, N.C- As the end of the 2009 season approaches, the North Carolina Central University baseball team embarks on its final road trip on Tuesday. The destination is approximately 20 miles south of Charlotte just over the border of North Carolina in the Palmetto State as the visiting Eagles take on Winthrop University on Tuesday evening at 6:00 at the Winthrop Ballpark in Rock Hill, S.C.
This marks the first meeting between these two universities since NCCU made the jump to Division I. The visiting Eagles (5-32) come into Tuesday's affair with a 12-game losing streak, but sophomore Blake Murray currently sports a 16-game hitting streak. Murray still sits second on the squad with a .280 batting average.
Winthrop (29-18, 16-8 Big South) is coming off a three-game sweep of UNC Asheville, extending their record at the Winthrop Ballpark to 18-7 on the season. The host Eagles reside in second place in the Big South Conference at 16-8, a half-game behind Liberty University. As a team, Winthrop is statistically the fifth-best hitting team in the conference with a .315 batting average, but stands second in the league as far as pitching with a team ERA of 5.15. At the plate, Eddie Rohan leads Winthrop with 13 round-trippers and is also tied for a team- high 46 RBI.
Making his fourth start of the season will be freshman right-hander, Brandon Strickland (2-2, 6.50 ERA). His last start came on April 17 at Elon where Strickland last just 2.1 innings, surrendering five runs on three hits, taking the loss against the Phoenix.
NCCU dropped an afternoon twinbill against NC State on Sunday, allowing a combined 30 runs and 31 hits in the doubleheader sweep, 15-2 and 15-5. Oliver Jenkins finished off the day on a good note going 3-for-4 including a triple in the second contest.
Following Tuesday's showdown with Winthrop, NCCU comes back home for a weekend three-game series finale with University of Maryland-Eastern Shore. The first game takes place on Friday afternoon at 3:00 at the USA Baseball Complex. Saturday will see a "Senior Day" doubleheader, where NCCU baseball will honor its two current seniors, Oliver Jenkins and Robert Landis, along with Marcus Moore and Gene Suarez two other members of the 2007 CIAA Regular Season Championship team, the first baseball team NCCU fielded since dropping the sport back in 1974.
The NCCU Sports Network will broadcast live from the Winthrop Ballpark starting with "Eagle Gameday" at 5:45, as Chris Hooks, the play-by-play voice, takes Eagle Fans right up to first pitch for Tuesday evening's showdown with Winthrop.
For more information on Eagle athletics, visit the official website, www.NCCUEaglePride.com.
