Box Score

Complete Box Score

DURHAM, N.C. (NCCUEaglePride.com) – Despite entering the week as one of the worst hitting teams in the Southern Conference, the Davidson College Wildcats unveiled an offensive explosion on Tuesday night against North Carolina Central University, cracking out a season-high 14 hits and scored a combined 10 runs in three consecutive innings taking down the Eagles 11-4 in the home finale at the Durham Athletic Park.

Early in ballgame the Wildcats pounced on top 1-0 on the heels of back-to-back doubles in the top of the first, the second of which coming off the bat of one of the top hitters in the SoCon, Drew Gadaire, who drove in RBI No. 30 of the season.

Four of the first five hits for the Wildcats were of the extra base variety that included second baseman James Cerbie’s second double of the year despite being left stranded in the second frame.

With the score still 1-0 heading into the fourth inning the Wildcats made their move when designated hitter Danny Weiss led off the frame with a walk. After Andrew Barna’s eighth double of the season, Davidson went on to score four runs on three hits and took a commanding 5-0 lead.

Sophomore Nate Smith (Raleigh, N.C.) put the Eagles on the board in the home-half of the fourth inning with an RBI single giving him 24 on the season and cutting the margin to 5-1 after four innings.

The 4-run advantage was made even safer with freshman Danny Mooney earning a career-high seven strikeouts in six innings of work, but DC was not done yet.

With one out in the fifth, Weiss reached on a walk again and stole second base, which led to first baseman Matt Ray being walked to put two men on. That’s when Cerbie crushed his first home run of the season of the left field wall as the three-run bomb put Davidson up 8-1 after five innings.

The final dagger of the evening came in the sixth inning when backstop Daniel Gerow ripped his first round-tripper of the season to right field making it 9-1 and two more runs were added following Seth Freeman’s ninth double of the year and freshman Forrest Brandt’s single putting runners in scoring position and no outs. Barna’s second double of the night added the third and final run of the frame and put DC up 11-1.

The bottom of the seventh saw NCCU cut the deficit to 11-4 as it was highlighted by senior Blake Murray’s (Wendell, N.C.) fifth double of the year to deep center field driving in two runs to give him 17 RBIs on the year.

In by far one of the classiest moves in the program’s short history, NCCU head coach allowed each senior who was in the lineup to come off the field to a standing ovation in their final game in front of the home faithful.

The Eagles could get no closer than 11-4 falling in its fifth straight contest and dropping its record to 6-37 on the year. The Wildcats on the other hand ended a seven-game skid to push its mark to 17-22. Taking the loss in his final start at home, senior Brandon Oatis (Matthews, N.C.) gave up four runs on five hits in three innings of work.

Smith led the Eagles by going 2-for-4 at the plate, but Murray’s 2-RBI double to deep center field was the highlight of the night.

NCCU hits the road for a trip to Conyers, Ga. to battle SWAC (Southwestern Athletic Conference) member Texas Southern University for a three-game neutral site series beginning on Thursday, April 28 at 6:00 p.m. from the Marquis Grissom Field of Dreams. This marks the final three contests of the 2011 baseball season.

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.