NCCU SB v. NSU
NCCU SB v. Norfolk State

Softball Ariel V. Germain, Assistant Sports Information Director

NCCU SOFTBALL HOSTS NORFOLK STATE ON WEDNESDAY

Lady Eagles Look to Extend MEAC Winning Streak

2012 NCCU Softball Information Guide
Interview with NCCU Head Softball Coach Theresa Stephens
 
THE GAME
The Lady Eagles of North Carolina Central University are set to host their second Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference foe of the 2012 season on Wednesday, March 28 in Raleigh, N.C., in a 2:00/4:00 p.m. twin bill with the Spartans of Norfolk State University at Walnut Creek Park.

THE SERIES
NCCU and Norfolk State meet for the 18th time in school’s history since 2008, with NSU leading the series 1-16.

NORFOLK STATE "SPARTANS"
  • NSU, located in Norfolk, Va., is a member of the MEAC
  • The Spartans is 9-13 overall and 4-3 on the road
  • Heidi Cavallo is in her second season as the head coach
UP NEXT
After Wednesday’s doubleheader, NCCU travels to Daytona Beach, Fla., to take on MEAC members Bethune-Cookman, who are the 2011 defending MEAC Champions.  The Lady Eagles battle the Wildcats on Saturday, March 31 at 1:00/3:00 p.m. and conclude the weekend with a 12:00 p.m. game on Sunday, April 1 in the sunshine state.
The mighty maroon continues its road play with a Wednesday, April 4 3:00/5:00 p.m. doubleheader against the College of Charleston in Charleston, S.C.

LAST DIAMOND CONTEST: NCCU 2 v. Maryland Eastern Shore 0 (March 20, 2012):
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (www.NCCUEaglePride) – The North Carolina Central University softball team showed their appreciation to head coach Theresa Stephens’ efforts to secure a local venue after Thomas Brooks Park became unavailable with the first two Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference wins of the season over the Lady Hawks of Maryland Eastern Shore in Chapel Hill, N.C., at the Anderson Softball Complex on the UNC Chapel Hill campus on Tuesday, March 20. 

Lady Eagle sophomore Cember Carmichael tallied a team-high two homeruns, while junior Shakemia Edwards notched six RBI for a 6-2 and 13-7 victory.

Tuesday’s doubleheader advances NCCU to 2-0 in the conference and snaps a 26-game losing streak.

In game one of the contest, UMES tallied a run in the top of the first with a hit by UMES pitcher Carmen Gurrola, who sent Cherokee Williams home.  But, the defense made her pay by running Gurrola and ending the top of the inning with only one run. 

The mighty maroon brought three runners home for a two-point lead, 3-1, in the bottom of the first. 

Freshman Martha Batie reached home plate to even the score, as junior Sarah Kaiser and senior Andrea Searls headed home off of junior Shakemia Edwards double down left center field.

Neither team reached home during the second inning, while NCCU increased its lead to 4-1 on a run by Searls during the bottom of the third.

The Lady Hawks found scoring success with a single run in the top fourth by Gurrola, who concluded the contest with a team-high one run, two hits and one RBI on two times at bat.

The maroon and gray continued to tally one run in the bottom of the fourth and fifth inning for a final 6-2 win.  Carmichael attained her homerun with the first pitch in the top of the fifth.

NCCU junior Bianka Molina pitched a complete game, where she struck out a season-high nine batters, while facing 26 batters in spite of permitting four hits and two runs.  Edwards finished the opening matchup with three hits and four RBI, as Batie notched two runs and three hits and Carmichael whacked a homer.

Gurrola also pitched a complete game for her Maryland-based team.  She struck out one batter, while allowing 11 hits and six runs.

NCCU sealed the doubleheader with the highest number of runs thus far on the season with 13 for a 13-7 game two victory.

As UMES began the second contest without a run, NCCU quickly paced to a 4-0 lead in the bottom of the first.

Bottom teams went three-up-three-down in the second inning, nonetheless, UMES shook up the mighty maroon defense with four runs to tie the contest 4-4 in the top of the third. 

NCCU head coach Stephens unruffled the Lady Eagles feathers and paced the squad to three runs for a 7-4 lead by the end of the bottom of the third.

The Lady Hawks went run less once again, while NCCU tallied a game-high five hits, which included Carmichael’s second homerun of the evening for a 12-4 lead.

UMES made an attempt to answer back with two runs on the top of the fifth and one run in the top of the seventh before NCCU secured win number three of the season.

Lady Eagle senior Aurora Baker pitched a complete game in the second matchup.  In 7.0 innings of play, Baker struck out six Lady Hawks, as she permitted nine hits and seven runs against 31 batters.  Carmichael led the batting campaign with two runs, two hits and
five RBI on three times at bat, as Searls tallied three runs and three hits.

Gurrola, who pitched her second complete game for UMES, finished with two strikeouts, and the allowance of 14 hits and 13 runs.  Leftfielder Morgan King notched one run, three hits and three RBI.

NCCU continues its homestand with a Wednesday, March 28 MEAC doubleheader against Norfolk State in Raleigh, N.C., at Walnut Creek Softball Park at 2:00 p.m./4:00 p.m. 
 
For more information on NCCU Softball or updated scores and statistics, visit the official NCCU Athletics website at www.NCCUEaglePride.com.  
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