March 24, 2010

Final Stats - Game 1 

Final Stats - Game 2

CARY, N.C. - The North Carolina Central University softball team (5-21) had its hands full against Conference USA foe East Carolina University (13-11) Wednesday afternoon as the Pirates proved to be too powerful as they swept NCCU in doubleheader action, 10-0 and 17-0, respectively, at Thomas Brooks Park in Cary, N.C.

NCCU's offense was nowhere to be found as the Pirate pitching staff left the Lady Eagles scoreless with just three hits on the day, while striking out 14 NCCU batters. Two of NCCU's hits were doubles. East Carolina racked up 27 runs on 26 hits with 26 RBIs. Of those 26 hits, five were doubles and two were in the park homeruns.

Lady Eagle senior Michelle Ishida earned the first hit of the day for NCCU when she singled in the fourth inning of game one to snap the Pirates' no-hitter. She was the lone runner for the Lady Eagles in that game. Shakemia Edwards and Andrea Searls each doubled in game two action to earn NCCU's other two hits.

Kayla McPeek (2-6) suffered the loss in game one after allowing 10 runs on nine hits in five innings of action. The freshman allowed just five earned runs in a complete game, while walking three.

Sophomore Aurora Baker (1-3) appeared in the circle for the second game, earning her third start this season. Baker picked up the loss after allowing 10 runs on 10 hits in two innings pitched. Baker allowed nine earned runs and walked two during her outing. She started out in the third, but was replaced after facing eight batters.

Ishida took over for Baker in the circle in the third as she tried to work to get the Lady Eagles back in the ballgame. The senior finished the game allowing seven runs on seven hits in three innings of work.

East Carolina's offense was led by the hitting duo of Suzanne Riggs and Sissy Jimenez. Riggs went 3-for-4 on the day with one run and four RBIs, while Jimenez was a perfect 4-for-4 on the day with three runs and four RBIs. Jimenez's power at plate helped plate many Pirate student-athletes as she totaled two doubles.

Priscillia Velasquez proved her strength in the batter's box as well, adding to the Pirates' offensive dominance. She went 2-for-3 with two runs and 3 RBIs, while hitting a double and a homerun. East Carolina got help from a few other student-athletes, who contributed in other ways.

Marina Gusman-Brown joined Velasquez in the homerun column with a homerun in game one, while earning a stolen base and going 3-for-5 with three runs and three RBIs. Charina Sumner and Nicole Jordan each added a double to the mix, while Christina Merrida totaled three stolen bases and scored four runs to go 3-for-6.

Pirates' pitcher Toni Paisley (8-7) brought the heat in the first game, earning her eighth win of the season. Paisley threw a complete game, where she allowed zero runs on one hit in five innings of work, while striking out nine.

Contributing to the Lady Eagles' zero-run day was Faith Sutton (5-4), who earned her fifth win of the season. Sutton allowed zero runs on two hits, while striking out five in her complete five-inning game.

Game one saw East Carolina plate seven runs in the first inning to lead the game off with a 7-0 lead. They added to that lead in the second inning when two more runners crossed the plate to give the Pirates a 9-0 advantage. The visitors would get one more run in the fourth to clinch a 10-0 victory.

Unfortunately for the Lady Eagles, they managed to get just one base runner, which came off of Ishida's single in the fourth. Every other NCCU batter was retired with four of the five innings seeing just three NCCU batters come to the plate. Nine of the Lady Eagles struck out, while six others managed to put the ball in play.

Game two started out close as the first inning saw just six batters between the two teams to keep the Lady Eagles in a head-to-head battle. Unfortunately, that didn't last long as East Carolina scored two runs in the second to take a 2-0 lead. NCCU came close to getting on the scoreboard when Edwards doubled to left-center field in the bottom of the second to earn the first hit of the game for the Lady Eagles with one out, but she was left stranded on third after the Pirates retired the next two batters.

Just like game one, all the Pirates needed was one inning of dominance to take control of the ballgame. East Carolina scored 14 runs off of 11 hits and one error in the third inning to take a 16-0 lead over NCCU going into the bottom of the third.

NCCU was held to just six batters between the third and fourth innings, slowing chipping away at its chances for a comeback. The Pirates were not ready to stop as they scored one more run in the fourth to keep a commanding 17-0 lead with one inning left to play until the run-rule came into effect.

The Lady Eagle defense kept the Pirates off the scoreboard in the fifth, allowing them to get just one hit off a double down the left field line by Jordan, who was left stranded when NCCU retired the next two batters. NCCU made an effort to get on the scoreboard in the fifth as Searls answered with a double when she sent the ball flying into right-center field, but was left stranded after the next two batters were retired to end the game in five.

NCCU will head to Dover, Del., this weekend, where they will face Delaware State before participating in the Sean Savage Epilepsy Awareness Tournament, hosted by Delaware State University, March 27-28. The tournament is an effort to raise money and awareness for epilepsy. Joining NCCU in the tournament are Delaware State, Howard, Colgate and Maryland Eastern Shore.

For more information on Lady Eagle softball, visit the official website of NCCU Athletics at www.NCCUEaglePride.com.