NCCU Sports Network Broadcast Link:  (GameCentral)


DURHAM, N.C. – North Carolina Central University baseball returns home for its next seven contests beginning with a midweek non-conference showdown against the Eagles of Coppin State University slated for Tuesday night at 6:00 p.m. on March 19, and Wednesday, March 20 at 3:00 p.m. at the Durham Athletic Park. Admission is free.
 
NCCU (11-9 overall, 5-4 MEAC) is riding high after winning a series against Savannah State on the road for the first time in the program’s modern era after dropping game one, the Eagles exploded for a 14-0 win in game two, and clinched the series with a 7-4 win on Sunday.
 
Throughout the series, the maroon and gray batted .310 as a team led by junior Dylan Drayton’s (Raleigh, N.C.) effort at-the-dish going 6-for-13 (.462) with three runs scored and two RBI.  While Drayton led in batting average, Carter Williamson (Roanoke, Va.) and Spencer Franceschetti (Escalon, Calif.) combined for 12 RBIs and three doubles on the weekend.  Williamson batted 5-for-11 (.455), while Franceschetti raked in a .444 batting average (4-for-9).
 
Coppin State (5-12 overall, 2-1 MEAC) is coming off a series win over University of Maryland Eastern Shore over the weekend, taking game one 7-0, dropping the twinbill finale 3-0, and winning the rubber match 7-6 over the Hawks.
 
The Eagles are led by outfielder Chris Kashangaki who is batting .365 at-the-plate with five doubles, a triple, and nine RBI.
 
The maroon and gray trails in the all-time series 6-to-5 to CSU.  The host Eagles have won the last two meetings as these two programs haven’t met since April 17, 2011.
 
NCCU head coach Jim Koerner will send Jordan Quinn (Goldsboro, N.C.) to the hill for Tuesday night’s matchup as the junior lefty will make his fifth start of the year.  Quinn (3-0, 1.29 ERA) has been midweek superstar for the Eagles giving up just four earned runs in 28.0 innings of work.  Opposing hitters are batting .204 against the first year hurler who has recorded 15 strikeouts on the season.
 
CSU’s skipper Sherman Reed will send Jhar Devilme (0-0, 10.32 ERA) to the mound for Tuesday’s matchup as the freshman lefty has worked 11.1 innings with 14 hits allowed and 13 earned runs surrendered with seven strikeouts on the year.
 
Neither team has confirmed the starter for the Wednesday afternoon matchup.
 
The NCCU Sports Network will hit the airwaves beginning at 5:45 p.m. on Tuesday, and 2:45 p.m. on Wednesday for the Champps Pregame Show as play-by-play voice of the NCCU Sports Network Chris Hooks will countdown to first pitch.  Listeners can interact with the broadcast by sending a tweet to @NCCUAthletics and by using the hashtag #NCCUBaseball. 
 
For more information about NCCU athletics, visit www.NCCUEaglePride.com or download the NCCU Sports Network app available in the App Store, Google Play and Amazon.