May 1, 2010

GAME 1 BOX SCORE

GAME 2 BOX SCORE

DURHAM, N.C. - Six student-athletes were honored at the Durham Athletic Park during a "Senior Day" doubleheader on Saturday afternoon as the North Carolina Central University baseball team couldn't muster up enough offense against visiting Campbell University falling short in the both games 13-8, 10-1 to end the home schedule for the 2010 season.

Seniors Greg Pickett (Columbia, S.C.), Joseph Cobb (Raleigh, N.C.), James Jordan (Bryson City, N.C.), Tim McAllister (Raleigh, N.C.), Justin Goodson (Stone Mountain, Ga.), and Kurt Wilson (Riverdale, Ga.) were all honored during a pregame ceremony as five of the players were on the 2007 CIAA Regular Season Championship team in its first season back to the diamond.

Game one was scoreless through the first two innings, but Campbell broke the game open with the first runs of the day in the top of the third with five runs on six hits that included five doubles on the way to a 5-0 advantage.

The Camels followed that impressive inning with another four runs in the fourth on four hits and were aided by two Eagle miscues that gave Campbell the 9-0.

Just when you thought the Eagles were going to get blown out, the offensive attack woke up in a big way. It all began with a Goodson infield hit in which he advanced to third on two mistakes by CU's hurler Ben Brown, a poorly executed pickoff attempt and a wild pitch. Freshman Nate Smith followed that up with his fifth double of the season, this time down the left field line driving in Goodson, recording his 13 RBI of the season and putting NCCU on the board. After Derrell Parker (North Miami Beach, Fla.) reached on a fielder's choice, sophomore Anthony Wilson (Fort Washington, Md.) brought in his 13 RBI of the season by also reaching base on a fielder's choice as Parker was cutoff at second. So with one out and two runs on the board, the Eagles were not done yet. Senior third baseman, Kurt Wilson singled up the middle, and junior Edward Pegues (Laurinburg, N.C.) hit his fifth double of the season that drove in two runs which gave him 13 RBIs on the season and the Eagles crept back to within five at 9-4 in the fourth.

Junior Brandon Oatis (Matthews, N.C.) despite the struggles in the third and fourth inning came back in the fifth and sixth frame and kept the hot Camel bats scores to keep the Eagles close, until he was pulled before the seventh inning where Campbell added four more runs to pull away at 13-4 heading into the bottom of the final inning of game one.

In the last frame the Eagles scored four more runs that included back-to-back doubles by Smith and Parker. Smith drove in sophomore Akeem Hood (Raleigh, N.C.), while Parker's double drove in Smith and Goodson to put the score at its final tally at 13-8.

Smith had the highlight worthy performance for NCCU with a 2-for-4 effort at the dish along with two runs scored and two RBIs.

Game two saw the Diamond Eagles take the early lead at 1-0 in the bottom of the first inning when Parker drove in his 17 RBI of the season thanks a single through the right side which drove in Hood. Solid defensive plays by Campbell's shortstop Kevin Nelson single handedly kept the Eagles at bat with two consecutive stunning defensive plays to end the threat in the first.

From that point forward, the Campbell pitching staff combined to hold the Diamond Eagle bats in check through the rest of the ballgame as NCCU managed one more hit the rest of the way.

Going into the top of the third inning, junior Douglas Dalley (Durham, N.C.) was moving right along with one strikeout and had yet to allow a hit until leadoff hitter Chris Bangi led off the frame with a single. After two consecutive flyouts, designated hitter Alex Aycoth hit his second home run of the season which gave the Camels the 2-1 lead and they never looked back scoring 10 unanswered runs to complete the four game sweep over NCCU on the weekend.

Campbell (24-21) now leads the series 9-0 overall, but Smith (3-for-7, two runs, two doubles, and two RBIs) lead way for NCCU in the afternoon, along with the Eagles cleanup hitter, Parker (2-for-5, a double and three RBIs)

NCCU (2-41) has a week off before its regular season finale against UMES beginning on May 8 at Hawks Stadium in Princess Ann, Md. The Eagles and Hawks will face off in a two-day back-to-back doubleheader to end the 2010 season.

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