DURHAM, N.C. (NCCUEaglePride.com)- Beginning this Saturday, April 2 the Eagles of North Carolina Central University return to the homestead for the first of nine-games at the Durham Athletic Park starting with a weekend three game set with soon-to-be conference foe Savannah State University.
This Saturday will feature the first twinbill that NCCU has hosted this season as first pitch is set for 1:00 p.m.
NCCU (1-23) is coming off a heartbreaking loss to Davidson College on Tuesday night when senior righty Douglas Dalley (Durham, N.C.) and company held the Wildcats to just eight hits in a 4-2 loss, but the vast improvement of the defense has certainly been shown over the last few weeks.
After 24 games, NCCU has already turned 21 double plays with super freshman Dylan Drayton (Raleigh, N.C.) leading the way with 18 turned, while fellow first-year teammates Tyson Simpson, Jr. (Burgaw, N.C.) has seven and Troy Marrow (Lutherville, Md.) has turned four.
Since 2008, the Eagles and the Tigers have met 18 times with NCCU sporting a 3-15 record overall, and 1-9 in the last ten meetings.
Savannah State enters weekend play at 13-13 overall and has lost four out of its last five. The Tigers are led by catcher Emory Barkley who is hitting .373 with eight doubles and 14 RBIs. Not too far behind is infielder Joseph McCrary who bats .347 with four doubles, four triples and 14 RBIs. As a team, the Tigers have hit 54 doubles, and have driven in 144 runs.
Taking the mound in game one on Saturday will be the ace of the Eagles’ staff as senior Drew Robinson (Carthage, N.C.) makes his seventh start of the year. Robinson sports a 6.89 ERA and has mowed down 16 batters this season.
Game two will see sophomore Glenn Frye (Lillington, N.C.) toe the rubber as he will make his seventh start of the season as well. Frye is tops on the team with 28 strikeouts in 30 innings pitched and earned his first college win last year against SSU.
The final game of the weekend will take place at 12:00 on Sunday, April 3 and the Eagles will send junior righty Sam Fulmer (Raleigh, N.C.) to the mound for his third start of the season. In Fulmer’s last appearance, he came in relief and threw seven innings allowed only two earned runs and struck out four batters against Delaware State.
All three games will be broadcast live via the NCCU Sports Network online as play-by-play voice Chris Hooks will call the action live all weekend long. Each broadcast will begin 15 minutes beforehand with Eagle Gameday presented by the Hilton RTP.
Stay up-to-date with NCCU Athletics by logging onto www.NCCUEaglePride.com, the official website of the North Carolina Central University Athletics Department.
