Box Score
Complete Box Score
SAVANNAH, GA. (NCCUEaglePride.com) – With North Carolina Central University trailing by just three runs at 6-3 heading into the bottom of the fifth, Savannah State University uncorked 13 runs on seven hits to break open the contest and finish off the weekend sweep with the 19-3 win over the Eagles in seven innings at Tiger Field in Savannah, Ga.
The host Tigers wasted no time to put NCCU away and took a 5-0 lead through two innings by earning just one hit because starter Douglas Dalley (Durham, N.C.) walked four and hit two batters in the first two innings. The only hit in the first two was an RBI double by SSU’s Joseph McCrary.
With the 5-0 deficit in the top of the third inning, the Diamond Eagles made its only move of the day that began with an Etienne Farquharson (Inagua, Bahamas) single to center field. After sophomore Willie Mills (Grifton, N.C.) sacrificed Farquharson over to second base, Dalley raked a single to center field to move the NCCU runner over to third, and junior Akeem Hood’s infield single drove in the first run of the day for the Eagles trailing now 5-1. Freshman Alex Moore, III recorded a single of his own and advanced to second on an error by the SSU left fielder that brought in Dalley making it 5-2, and freshman Tyson Simpson, Jr. helped plate the final run on the frame with an RBI groundout to drive in Hood and cut the margin to 5-3.
After allowing Savannah State to add another run to the board putting the tally at 6-3, the Eagles tried to continue the rally in the fourth with back-to-back hits from sophomore Derrell Parker (North Miami Beach, Fla.) and freshman Troy Marrow (Lutherville, Md.), but they were left stranded to keep NCCU down by three runs heading into the bottom of the fourth.
It all came unglued for the maroon and gray in the bottom of the fifth when SSU scored 13 runs on seven hits and still left the bases loaded in the frame. All in all, NCCU pitchers handed out eight walks, one wild pitch, and one Tiger batter was hit by a pitch, while of the seven hits in the frame only two were for extra bases. The 13-run frame put SSU up for good at 19-3.
The game was called in the seventh inning due to the 10-run rule which wrapped up the series sweep for SSU over NCCU. Savannah State finished the 2011 season 5-1 over NCCU, making the Eagles a mere 4-20 against SSU all-time.
The lone bright spot for the Eagles was from Marrow who finished 3-for-4 at the plate in the loss, while his teammate Farquharson raked out a 2-for-4 effort with a run scored.
NCCU (6-36) returns to the homestead for a Tuesday evening showdown against the Davidson College Wildcats at 6:00 p.m. from the Durham Athletic Park. This will be the final home game for the nine seniors who were honored last weekend.
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