March 7, 2010

Final Stats

PANTHERSVILLE, GA. (NCCUEaglePride.com)- Sunday afternoon the North Carolina Central University baseball team was in good position against hot-swinging Georgia State University trailing just 4-0 after three innings in the series finale at The Field at Panthersville. Costly errors awoke the Panther bats to the tune of 29 runs in the next three innings to finish off the weekend sweep with a 33-5 victory.

Junior lefty Brandon Oatis (Matthews, N.C.) was throwing one of his best outings to date before he was chased in the fourth innings when the Eagles came unglued due to an early error in the frame that gave the host Panthers all they needed to get the bats rolling again. Georgia State ended up scoring eight runs on four hits and three NCCU errors in the inning to pull ahead 12-0.

Things got worse for NCCU in the fifth when GSU batted around twice and scored 16 runs to pull way leading 28-1 after five.

In the top of the sixth the Eagles got the bats going in the sixth scoring a season-high fours runs thanks to three straight hits by Blake Murray (Wendell, N.C.), Nate Smith (Knightdale, N.C.), and Justin Goodson (Stone Mountain, Ga). Freshman Jake Winstead (Bunn, N.C.) brought in his first career RBIs thanks to a double and senior Tim McAllister (Raleigh, N.C.) finished up the short rally with a single to drive in the final two runs of the frame.

GSU added five more runs in the bottom of the sixth to put the score at its final resting place at 33-5. The Eagles committed eight errors on the day and left six runners in scoring position.

Stepping up for NCCU, Murray finished the day with a season-high two doubles at the plate. After struggling to start the season Murray has raised his batting average to .267 on the year.

NCCU (0-8) looks to regroup on Wednesday, March 10 when future MEAC opponent Norfolk State comes to the Bull City for doubleheader action at the historic Durham Athletic Park. Tune in online beginning at 12:45 p.m. to Eagle Gameday presented by the Hilton RTP as play-by-play voice of the NCCU Sports Network Chris Hooks, sets the scene for the afternoon twinbill.

To stay up-to-date with NCCU Athletics, log on to NCCUEaglePride.com, the official website of the NCCU Athletics Department.