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DURHAM, N.C. (www.NCCUEaglePride.com) - The North Carolina Central University softball team will open its 2013 campaign this weekend as they travel to the USC-Upstate Classic in Spartanburg, S.C. The Lady Eagles kick off their season-opening game against the University of Maine on Friday, Feb. 8 at 4 p.m., followed by the University of Missouri-Kansas City and Western Carolina University on Saturday, then closing out the weekend stretch with USC-Upstate on Sunday at 12 p.m.

The NCCU softball team enters its six year as a Division I program and second season as a member of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC), while head coach Theresa Stephens enters her second season with the Lady Eagles.

During the program's first year as a MEAC competitor and Stephens' first season with NCCU, the Lady Eagles finished the 2012 campaign with a 4-45 overall record and 1-13 in conference play. NCCU picked up a victory over UNC-Wilmington (6-4), a pair of wins against University of Maryland Eastern Shore (13-7 and 6-2) and defeated conference rival North Carolina A&T (2-1) last season.

Under the leadership of five seniors, the Lady Eagles remain a youthful program, dominated by underclassmen. NCCU returns one junior, two sophomores and welcomes seven freshmen along with three transfers to its 2013 squad.

During the 2012 season, as a junior infielder Shakemia Edwards appeared in 44 games, starting in all 44. She was second on the team with a .301 batting average with 34 hits and 9 runs scored with 113 at bats, she was also second with three home runs and third on the team with five doubles . Edwards’s slugging percentage was .425, which was also second on the team and she obtained an on base percentage of .370. In the field, Edwards fielding percentage was .926 with 78 putouts, 60 assists and 11 errors, she also had eight multiple hit games and four multiple RBI games. The Winterville, N.C., native had her best complete game was on Feb. 11 where she went 2-for-3 at the plate with three RBI, two runs scored , a double and a home run  while contributing four putouts in the game .

Fellow senior Nadia Jefferies started in 36 games and appeared in 39 during her junior season. The Garner, N.C., native attained a batting average of .223 on the year with 15 runs and 21 hits on 94 at bats. Jeffries was very effective on the base paths as she stole safely 11 times on 15 attempts. On the defensive end Jeffries had a fielding percentage of .917 with 81 putouts and 41 assists with 11 errors. Her most complete game was on March. 20 against Maryland Eastern Shore when she went 2-for-4 at the plate with two runs scored, four assists and one putout.

During senior Kayla McPeek’s junior season, despite struggling with injuries, she started in 21 contests and appeared in 26. McPeek batted .140 on the year and also had a role with the pitching staff. On the mound she posted an ERA of 10.18 with 11 innings pitched.  In her lone start on March. 4 against Appalachian State, she allowed just two earned runs in 5.1 innings pitched and on April 21 against Florida A&M, she went 2-for-3 at the plate with two putouts. McPeek was also named to the 2012 MEAC All-Academic team. 

In her junior season, Mae’Risha Watts started and appeared in 20 games.  Watts scored a batting average of .167 with nine hits and seven runs scored with 54 at bats. She also had a slugging percentage of .185 and an on base percentage of .211. On Feb. 11 against Elon, Watts showcased her arm by recording two assists from center field. Her best outing was on Feb. 21 against Campbell University when she went 1-for-3 at the plate with four putouts and one steal.

Lastly, senior Bianka Molina started in 26 games and appeared in 33. She pitched 17 complete games to lead the Lady Eagles. She also led the Lady Eagles with 74 strikeouts on the year. Molina pitched 167.1 innings and had an ERA of 5.40. Her most impressive performance was on March 20 when she pitched 7.0 innings and tallied nine strikeouts for the win against Maryland Eastern Shore...

Lone junior Regina Diaz started and played in 44 games during the 2012 campaign. Diaz scored a total of 17 runs on the year. As a sophomore she had an on base percentage of .264 and she was 2-for-3 in stolen bases. March 10 was her most productive day at the plate when she went 2-for-3 against Longwood. On the defensive end, she had a .782 fielding percentage with 61 putouts, and 54 assists. On March 17 against Campbell University, Diaz had four putouts with two assists and no errors to mark her best game in the field. Diaz was also a member of the MEAC All-Academic team during last season.

As a freshman, Martha Batie started in 33 games while appearing in 42. She attained a batting average of .181 with 17 hits and 15 runs scored. Batie also scored a slugging percentage of .202 and an on base percentage of .325 which was fourth on the team. In the field she posted a fielding percentage of .867 with 55 putouts, and 10 assists. On April 4, Batie went 3-for-3 at the plate with one run scored and she had three putouts.

Fellow sophomore Tiphani Jackson started in 29 games while making 35 appearances as a freshman. Jackson posted a .129 batting average during the 2012 season and on the defensive end totaled 66 putouts. On April 7 against Savannah State Jackson earned seven putouts and one assist and on April 14 against South Carolina State she went 2-for-3 from the plate with one RBI.

NCCU welcomes to the field during the 2013 season, redshirt freshman utility player Joy Simpson, along with freshmen catcher/middle infielder Jenny Tracy, catcher/utility player Angelique Perricelli, outfielder/1^st baseman Amber Kirkland, 1^st baseman/catcher Julia Sanders, pitcher London Booker, 2^nd baseman/outfield Markell Wylie and 1^st baseman/outfielder De’Onna Smith along with junior transfers outfielder/utility player London Germ and 1^st/3^rd baseman Camille Hampton who are all expected to make immediate impacts to the Lady Eagles squad as Stephens first official recruiting class.

This year the Lady Eagles will remain close to home for a majority of their season hosting 13 different programs in 27 games home at home, including the Eagle Challenge (March 8-10), a home tournament which will include Presbyterian College, Liberty University and UNC-Wilmington.   

In addition to the 27 home contests, NCCU stays within miles of the campus as they travel to the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill, N.C., for a double-header on March 19, along with a single game against Elon University in Elon, N.C., on April 23.

The Lady Eagles also have two additional tournaments on the 2013 slate. NCCU’s season-opener at USC-Upstate along with the Chattanooga Frost Classic in Chattanooga, Tenn., Feb. 22-24, where Tennessee Tech University will host Ohio University, University of Toledo, Northern Kentucky University, Niagara University and NCCU.

To stay up-to-date on NCCU softball, log on to www.NCCUEaglePride.com.