NCCU vs. Bethune-Cookman Broadcast Link
DURHAM, N.C. (
www.NCCUEaglePride.com) – The North Carolina Central University baseball team ventures down to sunny Florida, to take on perennial MEAC (Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference) power Bethune-Cookman University in a three-game series this weekend at Jackie Robinson Ballpark in Daytona Beach, Fla.
Since bringing back the sport in the 2007 season, NCCU has never met B-CU.
Saturday, March 17, is set for a St. Patrick’s Day doubleheader beginning at 1:00 p.m. with the second contest taking place 30 minutes following the first game. As with every MEAC weekend series, game one is a full nine inning tilt, with the second contest going seven innings. Sunday, March 18 will see the series finale is set for a 1:00 p.m. first pitch
The Eagles (3-14 overall, 2-1 MEAC) are coming off a disappointing 12-3 loss to the Davidson Wildcats on Tuesday night, but still brimming with confidence after winning the series over arch-rival North Carolina A&T and bursting out to a 3-0 lead against Davidson in the top of the first inning certainly was something to build on.
Bethune-Cookman (9-9 overall, 1-2 MEAC) enters the weekend winners of three straight non-conference contests against Harvard, but the conference world was shaken last week as Florida A&M swept the Wildcats in last Saturday’s doubleheader, snapping a 46-game conference winning streak. B-CU did win game three to salvage a game in the series.
The Wildcat baseball program has set the standard for excellence in the league over the last decade winning 12 of the last 13 MEAC championships, 14 total in program history.
With NCCU entering its sixth season, this series can go a long way to building the program under the leadership of first-year head coach Jim Koerner.
Seventeen games into the 2012 campaign, junior Luis Diaz (Geneva, N.Y.) has already made his impact in the conference currently tied for second with Delaware State’s Ryan Haas with 23 hits on the year. In total bases, Diaz is just ahead of Haas in second place with 34, but the outfielder is No. 1 in the league with three home runs. He leads the team with a .359 batting average with 11 runs scored and 12 RBI on the year.
B-CU is led at the plate by Jairo Acevedo who is hitting .342 on the season, but junior outfielder David Lee leads the squad with 10 RBI after 18 games.
First-year head coach Jason Beverlin will send Gabriel Hernandez (1-1, 3.75 ERA) to the mound in game one. Hernandez has thrown 24 innings this season allowing only 10 earned runs and recording 16 strikeouts. Rayan Gonzalez (3-0, 2.00 ERA) will toe the rubber for game two making his fifth start of the season. Gonzalez has thrown 27 innings allowing only 6 earned runs, 23 strikeouts and four walks issued.
NCCU will see senior Sam Fulmer (Raleigh, N.C.) take the hill for game one Saturday. Fulmer (5.14 ERA, 1-2) has thrown 21 innings this season giving up 12 earned runs and is tied for first on the team 17 strikeouts compared to four walks.
Game two starter, Glenn Frye (Lillington, N.C.) is looking to record his second win of the season after his gutsy performance against NC A&T last weekend. Frye (8.72 ERA, 1-2) battled illness all week before stepping up against the Aggies in a 5-4 win to split the doubleheader. Frye went seven innings strong allowed only four runs and recorded two strikeouts.
Neither team has decided on the Sunday starter at this point.
The NCCU Sports Network will bring you full coverage of the weekend series in Daytona Beach, as play-by-play voice Chris Hooks will be on the call live from Jackie Robinson Ballpark. Tune in both days at 12:45 p.m. for Eagle Gameday Built by Dayeco Construction Co. To listen to the broadcast simply click on the Game Central icon. Fans can also keep up with the three-game set on twitter by following @NCCUAthletics and by using the hashtag #NCCUbaseball.
Stay up-to-date with North Carolina Central University Athletics by flying over to
www.NCCUEaglePride.com, the official website of NCCU Athletics.
