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Box Score: VSU at NCCU (Game 1) HTML Box Score: VSU at NCCU (Game 2) HTML
DURHAM, N.C. – North Carolina Central University ended a three-game losing streak in earning a doubleheader sweep over former CIAA foe Virginia State University by the scores of 6-1 in game one, 5-2 in game two, marking the first 20-win season at the NCAA Division I level for the Eagles on Wednesday evening at the Durham Athletic Park.
The maroon and gray struck first in the first contest of the afternoon in the bottom of the second inning when Ryan Collins (Elizabethtown, N.C.), Ronald Thompson (Chadbourn, N.C.), and Eric Kimber (Greensboro, N.C.) recorded three straight hits to load the bases. NCCU took a 1-0 lead when Akeem Hood (Raleigh, N.C.) reached on a fielder’s choice, then added another run when Zack Lee’s bouncer to the left side caused VSU’s Stephen Brown to interfere with Hood, scoring Thompson from third. With that play, Lee was given credit for an RBI single.
VSU cut the margin in half in the fourth inning after Tyler Coleman lead off the frame with a single, later advancing on a throwing error by Troy Marrow (Lutherville, Md.). Coleman scored on a William Tapp RBI groundout to put the score at 2-1.
The Eagles added a run in the fifth when Marrow led the inning off with a single, coming around to make it 3-1 on Spencer Franceschetti’s (Escalon, Calif.) single to left field. NCCU seemed to be gaining steam in that frame until Franceschetti was called out after being hit with a groundball. Thompson re-loaded the bases after reaching on an error, but Kimber flew out to right field leaving the bases loaded.
In the eighth inning though, NCCU scored the final three runs of the game, two of which were driven in by Luis Diaz (Geneva, N.Y.) on his eighth double of the year to right field to put the final dagger in the Trojans in game one, taking the contest 6-1.
Sensational Jordan Quinn (Goldsboro, N.C.) earned win No. 5 on the year, tying a season-high with six strikeouts in eight innings of work, while scattering five hits on the day.
Game two saw the visiting Trojans strike first in the top of the third when Corey Grant drilled a double down the left field line, which was followed up by a Josh Markins RBI single to put VSU up 1-0.
In the next frame, Virginia State led off the inning with another double down the left field line, this time by first baseman Percy Evans, who later scored on a William Tapp sacrifice fly to left field to put the Trojans up 2-0.
NCCU responded in the bottom-half of the fourth when Diaz ripped his ninth double of the season to the wall in right field to start the inning. Marrow singled advancing to second as VSU prevented Diaz from scoring to put runners at second and third with no outs. Junior Dylan Drayton’s (Raleigh, N.C.) RBI groundout, and an throwing error by Nick Christopher knotted the game at 2-2.
The maroon and gray threw the biggest swing of the night when Lee was hit-by-a-pitch, and Collins was walked to put runners on with one out. That’s when Diaz crushed his first round-tripper of the season to right center field to put the Eagles ahead for good at 5-2.
Junior Jacob Russell (Winston-Salem, N.C.) came on in-relief in the seventh inning to earn his first save of the year, recording two strikeouts, while senior righty Ruben Rios (Fortuna, Calif.) earned his second consecutive win on the hill going 5.0 innings allowing two runs and one strikeout.
In Wednesday’s twinbill, Marrow led the Eagles going 4-for-8 (.500 BA) at-the-plate with two runs scored and an RBI, while Diaz finished 3-for-8 (.375 BA) with two doubles, a home run, and five RBI. Lee also had a productive day going 3-for-7 (.429 BA) with a double, two runs scored, an RBI, and three-for-three in stolen bases.
Virginia State (18-13) managed eight hits in the loss as Mankins and McCarty both recorded two hits to lead the Trojans.
NCCU (20-12, 8-4 MEAC) moves on to a crucial MEAC (Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference) series against arch-rival North Carolina A&T beginning with twinbill action on Saturday, April 6 at 1:00 p.m. and ending with the series finale on Sunday, April 7 at 1:00 p.m.
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.
