Box Score
Complete Box Score
FARMVILLE, VA. (NCCUEaglePride.com) – Trailing 9-0 after five innings, North Carolina Central University staged a rally in the final two innings, scoring seven runs, but left the tying run at the plate dropping a 9-7 decision on Thursday afternoon at Lancer Stadium in Farmville, Va.
The host Lancers used a five run second inning that included a three-run homer by Longwood’s Michael Sims to take the 5-0 lead.
Through the first six innings, NCCU’s bats were silent with just two hits, while Longwood added three more runs highlighted by Scott Burkett’s double to left centerfield that drove in two runs and aided in putting the Lancers up 8-0 after four innings.
The final run for Longwood plated in the fifth inning on an RBI groundout and seemed to be all the Lancers needed to secure the win.
From that point on, junior hurler Timothy Rennard (Knightdale, N.C.) extinguished the Lancer bats allowing only four hits through three-and-two thirds innings and gave up no runs and racked up three strikeouts.
In the eighth inning, the Eagle bats finally awoke to the tune of two runs that all began with back-to-back singles by sophomore Nate Smith (Raleigh, N.C.) and senior Blake Murray (Wendell, N.C.). Both Smith and Murray were driven in by Etienne Farquharson’s (Inagua, Bahamas) first triple of the season to cut the margin to 9-2 heading into the eighth inning.
Longwood’s comfortable seven-run lead quickly disappeared on the heels on five Eagle runs on two hits with the help of two Longwood errors. It all began with a Carter Williamson (Roanoke, Va.) walk and NCCU loaded the bases with two outs when Smith drove in the first two runs of the frame with a single to right field to put the score at 9-4 with two outs. Smith currently has recorded RBIs in the last five contests giving him 17 on the season. After a walk by Murray to load the bases again, a throwing error by the Longwood catcher scored the another three runs to cut the deficit to two at 9-7. With two outs and one man on the base path the tying run at the plate, Troy Marrow (Lutherville, Md.) struck out swinging to end the ballgame, leaving NCCU’s rally just short of the comeback win.
The Diamond Eagles had two student-athletes record three hit ballgames as Smith went 3-for-5 on the day with two RBIs and two runs scored, while Murray broke out with a 3-for-4 performance at the dish with his fourth double of the season and two runs scored.
NCCU (4-31) will have Friday off in preparation for their three-game weekend set against soon-to-be conference foe Coppin State University beginning Saturday, April 16 at 2:00 p.m. with doubleheader action at the Durham Athletic Park.
SCHEDULE NOTE: The baseball program will celebrate Senior Day on Sunday, April 17 at 12:00 p.m. in Game three of the weekend series at the Durham Athletic Park.
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.
