April 8, 2010

Final Stats - Game 1

Final Stats - Game 2

NORFOLK, Va. - The North Carolina Central University softball team dropped a pair of games at Norfolk State University Thursday afternoon as the Spartans pulled out a doubleheader sweep over the Lady Eagles at the NSU Softball Field by scores of 7-1 and 7-3. NCCU dropped to 6-28, while Norfolk State improved to 8-16.

Junior co-captain Ashanti Stroud was the Lady Eagles' go-to player in the batter's box, going 3-for-7 with two runs. She was the lone NCCU student-athlete to steal a base, while accounting for two of the Lady Eagles' three RBIs. Mae'Risha Watts put on a perfect 3-for-3 performance, including a RBI and a double.

Norfolk State was led by Jeanette Sauceda, who went 5-for-8 with three runs, two doubles and one RBI. Meghan Ramsey was 3-for-7 on the day with one run and one RBI. Jaime Raab went 3-for-6 with two runs, four RBIs and a double. She accounted for almost half of the Spartan's RBIs.

The Lady Eagles combined for four runs, 12 hits and seven errors. They totaled just three RBIs and struck out 11 times, while walking just twice on the day. Norfolk State tallied 14 runs, 22 hits and nine errors. They hit 10 RBIs and struck out six times on the day, while walking on five occasions.

Norfolk State needed just one inning to take control of the first game as they notched all seven runs in the second inning off of four hits and capitalized on three Lady Eagle errors. The Spartans earned just one of those seven runs as they plated six unearned runs to take a quick 7-0 lead.

NCCU got on the scoreboard in the fourth, earning its only run of the game. Desanbra Franklin sparked a Lady Eagle rally when she doubled to right field. Stroud followed with a RBI-single to center field as Franklin crossed the plate when the Spartan centerfielder committed an error. Andrea Searls reached first on a fielder's choice and advanced to second on a throwing error by the Norfolk State shortstop. Unfortunately, Searls was left on base.

Alyssa Velazquez (5-9) earned her fifth win of the season after giving up just one run and four hits in seven innings. She walked one batter and struck out five. The junior made her 17th appearance and her 13th start. Kristen Schooler (2-9) suffered the loss, allowing seven runs, one earned, and 12 hits in six innings of work. She walked four batters and struck out one, earning her 17th appearance and her ninth start.

Just like the first game, Norfolk State struck gold first, scoring two runs in the first inning off a two RBI-double to left field from the bat of Raab. NCCU quickly answered with one run in the second. Stroud, who got on off a throwing error by the Spartan shortstop, stole third and crossed the plate off a throwing error by the catcher, closing the gap to 2-1 as the game went into the bottom of the second.

The Spartans refused to let the Lady Eagles stay within striking distance, scoring three more runs in the third. Norfolk State earned all three runs off of back-to-back-to-back RBIs. Sauceda, Raab and Wright each scored with two outs following a Sauceda double that sparked the three-run rally.

NCCU managed to get two more runs with one in the fourth and one in the seventh. Watts brought Stroud around in the fourth when she singled to right field. Stroud's run cut the deficit to 5-2. The Lady Eagles tried to fight back in the seventh as Franklin sparked a brief two-out rally when she singled up the middle to advance Michelle Ishida to third. Stroud followed with a RBI-single to short, scoring Ishida.

But one run wasn't enough as the Spartans had managed to score two more runs in the fourth and fifth innings. Casey Pomeroy scored off a wild pitch in the fourth to put Norfolk State up, 6-2, while Sauceda scored off a wild pitch in the fifth to take a 7-2 lead, leaving them six outs away from taking the sweep.

The Lady Eagles threw two pitchers in the second game as freshman Shamika Chavis-Hodge (1-3) earned the start. Chavis-Hodge took the loss after giving up five runs, zero earned, and seven hits in 2.2 innings of work. She made her ninth appearance and her eighth start, while striking out two batters. Aurora Baker (1-5) pitched in relief for 3.1 innings, where she allowed two runs, one earned, and three hits. She walked one and struck out three in her 10th appearance on the mound.

Norfolk State's Pomeroy (2-5) earned the win after giving up three runs, one earned, and eight hits. She pitched seven innings, while walking one and striking out six. The sophomore earned her second win of the season and made her 10th appearance in the circle for the Spartans.

The Lady Eagles left a total of 15 runners stranded on the day, while Norfolk State left 17.

NCCU (6-28) will return to the diamond on Saturday, April 10 when they host the Lady Tigers of Savannah State University (14-14-1) at Thomas Brooks Park in Cary, N.C. Saturday's game will be a doubleheader with game times set for 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. The Lady Eagles look to snap their three-game losing skid.

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