Box Score

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DAYTONA  BEACH, FLA. (www.NCCUEaglePride.com) – The North Carolina Central University baseball team racked up a season-high 15 hits but managed only one in the last five innings dropping an 11-10 heartbreaker in 10 innings on Sunday afternoon in the series finale at the Jackie Robinson Ballpark in Daytona Beach, Fla.
 
NCCU needed to win the contest to avoid the series sweep and played that way from the get-go taking a 3-0 in the top of the first inning.  It all began with a Nate Smith (Raleigh, N.C.) single up the middle.  After Smith stole his fifth base of the year to move into scoring position, Luis Diaz (Geneva, N.Y.) reached base with a single and advanced to second on an error by the B-CU outfielder to put the first run on the board.  Sophomore third baseman Troy Marrow (Lutherville, Md.) singled and Ross Plummer (Winston-Salem, N.C.) reached base on a fielder’s choice when B-CU’s Nick Johnson could not decide where to go with the ball allowing Diaz to score putting NCCU up 2-0.  Sophomore Carter Williamson (Roanoke, Va.) reached base on a fielder’s choice scoring Marrow as NCCU led 3-0 after one-half inning.
 
Bethune-Cookman returned fire putting up six unearned runs in the bottom of the first that included a three-run home run by Anthony Stokes which was his fourth of the season as the Wildcats led 6-3 after one inning.
 
The Eagles went on to score two runs in each of the next two innings to take a 7-6 advantage.  Tyson Simpson (Burgraw, N.C.) led off the second with his second double of the season.  The sophomore second baseman added the first run then Smith touched home plate on Marrow’s RBI single to cut the margin to 6-5.  In the third frame Simpson’s third double of the season highlighted the inning as NCCU took the lead for the second time on the day.
 
After Bethune-Cookman tied the game in the fourth inning at 7 on an RBI single by Brandon Turner, the Eagles plated three more runs that included two doubles in the fifth, Simpson’s third of the day, and Diaz’s third of the year.  The three runs on three hits in that frame put NCCU up 10-7.
 
It was at that point in the day that NCCU set a new season-high with 14 hits.  The Eagles would record one more hit the rest of the way.
 
In the bottom of the fifth inning, the Wildcats clawed back within one on Stokes’s second two-run blast of the day to make it 10-9. 
 
NCCU held on to the one-run lead until the bottom of the eighth inning when Turner hit his second RBI single of the day tying the game at 10-10.
 
The Eagles went three up and three down in the ninth and sent the game into extra innings with solid defense after allowing a one-out single to Jairo Acevedo.  Acevedo entered the contest as a pitcher in the fifth inning and cooled down the NCCU bats surrendering just three hits and allowing only one run in four frames of work.
 
In the bottom of the tenth inning, Bethune-Cookman’s Juan Pizzaro led off with a walk and ended up at second base after a sacrifice bunt by catcher Lenny Martinez.  With one out and a runner on second base Josh Johnson drove in the winning run as he hit a scorching grounder towards Drayton who’s diving effort knocked the ball just out of his reach and allowed Pizzaro to come around and score plating the game’s final run sending NCCU to its fourth straight loss.
 
The maroon and gray are now 3-17 on the year, 2-4 in MEAC (Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference) play.
 
Four Eagles recorded multiple hit days for NCCU, as Smith finished 4-for-5 with three runs scored, an RBI, and two stolen bases.  On his 21st birthday, Diaz finished the day 3-for-5 with a double, a runs scored and 2 RBI.  Simpson ended the afternoon 3-for-5 with three doubles, 2 runs scored, and 2 RBI.
 
B-CU’s Jordan Dailey came on in-relief to earn the win and move his record to 3-2, while Jacob Russell (Winston-Salem, N.C.) took the loss falling to 0-3.
 
NCCU has a day off before a week-long five game home stand that begins on Tuesday, March 20 at 6:00 against the Wildcats of Davidson.  Admission is free at the Durham Athletic Park.
 
Stay up-to-date with North Carolina Central University Athletics by flying over to www.NCCUEaglePride.com, the official website of NCCU Athletics.