April 23, 2010

Final Stats - Game 1

Final Stats - Game 2

Photo Gallery

CARY, N.C. - As North Carolina Central University bid farewell to its seniors on Senior Day Friday afternoon at Thomas Brooks Park, East Tennessee State University had their own agenda, spoiling the day as they swept the Lady Eagles in doubleheader softball action by scores of 17-1 and 18-5 in the final home game of the season.

With the loss, NCCU dropped to 7-35 on the season, while East Tennessee State improved to 18-32 on the year. The Lady Eagles extended their losing streak to seven games as they head until their final game of the season.

Seniors Desanbra Franklin and Michelle Ishida left their mark as they anchored the Lady Eagle offense in their final home game in the maroon and gray. Franklin hit a blistering .750, going 3-for-4 with a triple and a RBI. Ishida notched a .600 average, going 3-for-5 with a triple and three RBIs.

As a team, the Lady Eagles hit .237 with just six runs and nine hits, while notching two triples and six RBIs. Aside from Franklin and Ishida, Trishann Hayes, Andrea Searls and Ashanti Stroud each grabbed a hit to round out the Lady Eagles' nine hits on the day. They finished with six runs and committed six costly errors.

East Tennessee State totaled 35 runs and 37 hits en route to the sweep as they recorded a school record 19 hits in and scored a season-high 18 runs the finale. They hit a powerful .529, while totaling five doubles, three home runs and 30 RBIs. Two Lady Buccaneers recorded their first career home runs on the day.

ETSU senior Cheniece Cason earned her first career home run and put on a four-hit performance in the final outing to become the 11th player in ETSU history to reach that milestone. She was a triple shy of earning a cycle in the second game. She was 7-for-10 on the day with a stolen base.

Senior Kristen Schooler (2-12) started in the circle for the Lady Eagles in game one as she gave up 16 earned runs and 16 hits in 2.2 innings of work, while walking three. She dropped to 2-12 on the season. Taking away the win was Jessica Duncan (8-7), who earned her eighth win of the season after allowing just one earned run and four hits in five innings of work, while walking one and fanning five.

The second game saw Kayla McPeek in the circle for NCCU as she suffered the loss. McPeek gave up nine earned runs and 14 hits in 2.2 innings pitched. She struck out two and dropped to 3-9 on the season. Earning the win was ETSU's Shelby Morris, who earned her second win of the year after allowing five earned runs and five hits in five innings of action. She walked three and struck out four in her outing.

Sophomore transfer Aurora Baker made an appearance in both games, throwing in relief for the Lady Eagles. She pitched a total of 2.2 innings, where she allowed five runs, two earned, and seven hits with two strikeouts.

In game one, NCCU scored its first and only run in the first inning. Ishida led-off with a single through the left side. With two outs, Franklin followed with a single to the left side, sending Ishida to third. Searls hit a RBI-single through the right side, which plated Ishida. One run wasn't enough as ETSU held a 4-1 cushion.

The Lady Eagles were held scoreless for the remainder of the game as the Lady Bucs continued to pound the runs on with two in the second, 10 in the third and one in the fourth to cruise to a 17-1 victory to start the day.

NCCU managed just four hits in the game with three coming in the first frame. The final hit came from the bat of Stroud, who singled through the left side to lead off the third inning, but was later caught in a double play. The Lady Eagles totaled just five base runners in the first game, leaving three stranded on the base path.

Game two started out very much like the first one as ETSU plated eight quick runs in the first frame to take a 8-0 lead. They responded with two more in the second and four more in the third, giving them a 14-0 advantage.

The Lady Eagles battled in the third as Nadia Moreta's patient at-bat got her on base off a walk. A single to right field by Hayes gave NCCU two base runners and no outs. With one out, Ishida belted a triple through the gap in the right side to send Moreta and Hayes home. Franklin followed with a RBI-single to left to give NCCU three.

With a 17-3 lead, ETSU didn't get any quieter as they scored four more in the fifth to clinch a 15-run lead. NCCU tried to fight back with two runs in the fifth, but it wasn't enough. Hayes led the frame off with a walk and was thrown out at second as Nadia Jefferies earned a spot on board off the fielder's choice. Jefferies advanced to second on a wild pitch, while Ishida singled to right field to score Jefferies.

Ishida landed on second off an error by the ETSU second baseman as Shakemia Edwards got on off the fielder's choice. Franklin was hit by the pitch to load the bases for NCCU for the first time all day. Stroud reached on a fielder's choice as Ishida was gunned out at home for the second out of the inning. A patient Searls sent Edwards home as Searls walked to keep the bases loaded. The Lady Bucs retired the next batter to get out of the inning without much damage as NCCU plated two to fall, 18-5, in the nightcap.

The Lady Eagles will conclude the 2010 season with rival North Carolina A&T State University. NCCU will battle the Lady Aggies on Saturday, April 24 in doubleheader action at the Lady Aggies Softball Complex in Greensboro, N.C. Game times are slated for noon and 2 p.m.

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