Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

Game One Box Score

Game Two Box Score

DURHAM, N.C. (NCCUEaglePride.com) – Mother Nature threatened all day long and certainly played a hand in a combined 15 errors between North Carolina Central University and Florida A&M as the Rattlers used just enough hitting and untimely Eagle errors to pull off the doubleheader sweep (8-6, 7-4) on Tuesday afternoon at the Durham Athletic Park.

Game one was able to go off without any precipitation, but the second contest of the day was marred by sporadic bouts of pouring rain that contributed to some slippery conditions to end the afternoon.

Florida A&M made it known from the outset that the Rattlers were going to be aggressive at the plate and it showed as Cory Franklin hit a two-run shot to the gap in right center to take a 3-0 in the third inning. Thanks to an RBI single in the fifth by Scott Sheplak, and a a three-run explosion in the fifth inning that included Franklin’s second double FAMU led 7-1 with the lone Eagle run being driven in by Troy Marrow (Lutherville, Md.) who singled to center field to bring in teammate Tyson Simpson, Jr. (Burgaw, N.C.).

NCCU battled back in the fifth inning as sophomore Nate Smith (Raleigh, N.C.) parked his fourth home run of the season over the short porch in right field with two runners on cutting the margin to 7-4 after five complete.

The Eagles had its chances in the following inning as seniors Edwards Pegues (Laurinburg, N.C.) and Blake Murray (Wendell, N.C.) reached base. Following an error by the Rattler leftfielder, Derrell Parker drove in his sixth RBI of the season with a sacrifice fly to left field, which was followed up by a Simpson RBI single after a FAMU wild pitch putting tow more runs on the board bringing NCCU within one run at 7-6.

That was as close as the Eagles got in the contest as Franklin came on in relief and allowed on two base runners the rest of the way to get into scoring position, and Florida A&M put one more run up in the top of the ninth thanks to a errant throw on a double play attempt as NCCU dropped game one by the final tally of 8-6.

Smith led the Eagles going 2-for-4 with a three-run homer a triple, two RBIs, and two runs scored, while FAMU’s Franklin went 4-for-5 with a two-run homer, two doubles, two RBIs and two runs scored while also striking out three batters in earning the save.

Game two saw the conditions deteriorate due to a little rain and errors were certainly caused by the conditions, but what shouldn’t be overshadowed in this ballgame was the pitching performance by sophomore Glenn Frye (Lillington, N.C.) who allowed just one earned run and tied a season-high with seven strikeouts.

The Eagles found themselves down 2-0 after the first inning after the NCCU defense committed its first of six errors in the Tuesday finale.

From the second through fourth inning Frye allowed just two hits and struck out five batters.

With a sacrifice fly in the third inning, the Eagles got on the board trailing 2-1, and took their first lead of the day when NCCU scored three runs on three hits that was aided by a Florida A&M error. It all began with Pegues’s second double of the season to dead center field as Etienne Farquharson (Inagua, Bahamas) drove in his fifth run of the season with a seeing-eye single to the right side to tie the game at 2. Simpson, Jr. reach on an error by the FAMU shortstop Reginald Grant and freshman Dylan Drayton (Raleigh, N.C.) smacked a line drive up the middle scoring both Farquharson and Simpson, Jr. to give NCCU the 4-2 advantage.

Florida A&M answered back with a little aide of a two-out error that helped the Rattlers put up three runs to gain the lead back at 5-4 heading into the bottom of the fifth.

NCCU could not muster up enough offense to make a rally stick and FAMU added two runs in the top of the seventh inning that included Franklin’s second home run of the day, while also earning his second save of the day as he came on in-relief. The Eagles did load the bases in the final frame but could not get any runs across falling 7-4 in the final game of the day.

The Diamond Eagles managed just five hits in game two with Drayton recording two hits in the game, FAMU’s Oscar Santalo went 2-for-4 at the dish with two RBIs and a run scored.

NCCU (4-29) looks to salvage a game in the series on Wednesday afternoon in the series finale. First pitch is set for 2:00 p.m. Senior righty Drew Robinson (Carthage, N.C.) looks for his second win-in-a-row as he will take the hill for the Eagles.

Stay up-to-date with North Carolina Central University Athletics by soaring over to www.NCCUEaglePride.com, the official website of North Carolina Central University Athletics.