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DURHAM, N.C. – After dropping its third straight contest on Monday evening, North Carolina Central University returns to the diamond on Wednesday afternoon for a non-conference doubleheader against former CIAA (Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association) foe Virginia State beginning at 4:00 p.m. on April 3 at the Durham Athletic Park.
 
These two programs have met at least once in every year of the modern era with NCCU holding a 10-2 advantage in the series.  The maroon and gray have won the last three matchups including a 7-3 contest last year that was called due to inclement weather in the eighth inning.
 
Virginia State (16-9, 9-3 CIAA) sits in third place in conference action coming off a series win over Chowan over the weekend.  The Trojans are led by Nick Christopher at-the-dish who is currently tied for second in the league batting .430 with eight doubles, three triples, a home run, and 14 RBIs.  His teammate Joshua Markins has driven in 27 RBI this year to sit tied for seventh in the CIAA.
 
Since wrapping up the month of March, the maroon and gray finished the month 14-7 overall with eight wins in league action.  Offensively, both senior Luis Diaz (Geneva, N.Y.) and Carter Williamson (Roanoke, Va.) both hit .333 at-the-plate with Diaz leading the squad with 24 hits in the month.  Williamson topped the team with six doubles and 16 RBI in March.  The pitching staff was equally as impressive putting together a 2.82 ERA in 21 games with 95 strikeouts, 44 walks, and five complete games.
 
NCCU (18-12, 8-4 MEAC) has lost three straight and will look to get back on track as head coach Jim Koerner will send junior lefty Jordan Quinn (Goldsboro, N.C.) to the mound for the first contest for his seventh start of the year.  Quinn (4-0, 1.91 ERA) has logged 42.1 innings and has surrendered only nine runs in his first season at NCCU. 
 
Game two, which will go seven innings and take place 30 minutes after the conclusion of the first contest, will see senior Ruben Rios (Fortuna, Calif.) toe-the-rubber for the Eagles.  Rios (1-0, 1.62 ERA) is coming off his first career complete game shutout last week against Longwood.  In the 10-0 NCCU victory, Rios scattered four hits and recorded one strikeout.
 
Join the NCCU Sports Network at 3:45 p.m. for the Champps Pregame Show as play-by-play voice Chris Hooks will bring all the action of the mid-week twinbill from the Durham Athletic Park.  Listeners can interact with Hooks by following @NCCUAthletics on twitter, using the hashtag #NCCUBaseball, and by sending an e-mail to whooks@nccu.edu.
 
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.