Box Score 1 | Box Score 2
Game One Box Score (HTML)

Game Two Box Score (HTML)



SAVANNAH, GA. – The North Carolina Central University baseball team dropped both games in a critical MEAC (Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference) doubleheader against Savannah State University, 10-0 in game one and 13-11 in the second contest, to fall into third place in the Southern Division of the league on Saturday afternoon at Tiger Field in Savannah, Ga.
 
NCCU managed just seven hits and allowed SSU to turn three double plays in the day’s first contest as Savannah State took a 3-0 lead in the bottom on the first while only recording one hit.  Junior Michael Romano (Spotsylvania, Va.) walked one batter, plunked two others, and committed an error on an errant tag in the first frame to put the Eagles behind.
 
Following the rough start, Romano settled in retiring six of the next seven batters including four strikeouts in-a-row to keep the score at 3-0 until the bottom of the fourth inning.
 
SSU scored five runs on seven hits that included two doubles by the host Tigers who stretched the margin to 8-0 after four complete innings.
 
The Tigers went on to win the game 10-0 as it was called in the bottom of the eighth inning due to the MEAC’s 10-run rule with two runners left of base.
 
The second contest of the day was a shootout between these two teams as the maroon and gray stormed out in front with a five-run second inning.
 
Senior Ross Plummer (Winston-Salem, N.C.) began the frame off with a one out single which gave him 97 career hits.  Freshman Tyler Murphy (Islip, N.Y.) singled while fellow freshman Deion Doubledee (Wilson, N.C.) drove in Plummer on a bunt single to put the Eagles up 1-0.  After Anthony Wilson (Fort Washington, N.C.) was hit-by-a-pitch sophomore Dylan Drayton (Raleigh, N.C.) drilled his second triple of the year and cleared the bases and gave NCCU the 4-0 lead.  Sophomore Tyson Simpson (Burgaw, N.C.) recorded RBI No. 24 on the year on a sacrifice fly to give the Eagles a 5-0 lead.
 
Savannah State was ready for the challenge scoring five runs over the next two innings to tie the game back up a 5 apiece.
 
The maroon and gray offense stayed red hit in the top of the fourth inning adding five more runs on the board as it all began with a Wilson single.  After a Drayton sacrifice bunt, Simpson ripped a single to right field and advanced Wilson to third on a passed ball.  With runners at second and third, the Tigers chose to intentionally walk Luis Diaz (Geneva, N.Y.) to load the bases and sophomore Troy Marrow (Lutherville, Md.) made SSU pay with a three run double that put the Eagles up 8-5.  Doubledee helped plate the final two runs on the frame with a single and the maroon and gray seemingly had the momentum on their side leading 10-5 heading into the bottom of the fourth.
 
SSU would not be denied in the next frame tying the game up at 10 with five runs on four hits that included a clutch two RBI double by designated hitter Peter Poole.
 
With the contest knotted up at 10 in the bottom of the sixth inning, pinch hitter Dychal Bowles put the dagger in the Eagles with a three run double to left field to put the Tigers up 13-10.
 
NCCU plated a run in the top of the seven and had runners at second and third base but fell short dropping the final game of the day 13-11.
 
Sam Fulmer (Raleigh, N.C.) lasted only four innings in the contest allowing 10 runs on 10 hits with three strikeouts, while SSU’s Tommy Freeman managed to last just three-and-one-third of an inning giving up seven earned runs on nine hits.
 
Throughout the day, Drayton led the offensive charge going 4-for-6 (.667) with a run scored, a walk, a triple, and three RBI.  Plummer went 3-for-3 in game two to sit one hit short of 100 career hits.  He would become the fourth Eagle to achieve that career number since the program returned in 2007.  Marrow led NCCU with four RBI in the doubleheader.
 
The Eagles (13-30, 9-10 MEAC) are now in third place in the MEAC’s Southern Division and will look to salvage a game in the series finale against the Tigers (17-26, 9-8 MEAC) which is slated for a 12:00 p.m. first pitch.
 
The NCCU Sports Network will go on the air with Eagle Gameday built by Dayeco Construction Co. at 11:45 a.m. on Sunday morning.  Play-by-play voice of the Eagles Chris Hooks will call the action from Tiger Field as NCCU looks to avoid being swept in the series.  Fans can also keep up with the series finale on twitter by following @NCCUAthletics or 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.