Audio:  NCCU Sports Network Broadcast Link

DURHAM, N.C.  – Despite back-to-back losses in the midweek, North Carolina Central University turns its focus to another crucial MEAC (Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference) weekend series against perennial power Bethune-Cookman University beginning on Saturday, April 12 at 2:00 p.m. and ending on Sunday, April 13 with the series finale at 1:00 p.m. at the Durham Athletic Park.  Admission is free to all fans.
 
The intensity will get cranked to another level this weekend as the Eagles and the Wildcats are battling for first place in the Southern Division with the maroon and gray sitting a half-game ahead at 9-5 in league action, while B-CU is 9-6.
 
NCCU (14-19-1, 9-5) took down Bethune-Cookman (17-19, 9-6 MEAC) in the last meeting between these two as the Eagles took two-of-three down in Daytona Beach, Fla., including a come-from-behind 7-4 victory in the rubber match between the two squads.
 
The Wildcats are paced at-the-plate by senior Eric Sams who is hitting .364 on the year with 11 doubles, which is tied for No. 1 in the MEAC.  As a team, the B-CU pitching staff is No. 1 in the MEAC in ERA (Earned Run Average) at 3.38, nearly 1.50 better than Delaware State.
 
The Eagles are third in the conference in team batting with a combined .273 average at-the-plate, led by senior Tyson Simpson (Burgaw, N.C.) who is enjoying one of his finest seasons at NCCU batting .381 on the season to place him amongst the leaders in the conference as he sits seventh.  He's also third in hits with 43 and second in the league in RBI with 28.
 
Game one of the series will see righty Kyle Shields (Bailey, N.C.) against B-CU's Keith Zuniga (4-3, 2.13 ERA).  Shields (3-1, 2.43 ERA) earned a huge win last week against the volatile A&T lineup as the Eagles won 5-3 as Zuniga has racked up 36 strikeouts in 55.0 innings.
 
The second game of the series sets up to be pitcher's duel with current MEAC Pitcher of the Week Terry McNabb (Davidson, Sask.) against arguably the league's best pitcher in Montana Durapau (7-0, 1.39 ERA) who has been nearly untouchable in his senior season.  The righty has a league-best 50 strikeouts in 64.2 innings and has allowed just 10 earned runs, while issuing seven walks.  McNabb (2-4, 3.18 ERA) struck out a career-high nine batters in the 4-0 shutout victory over NC A&T to clinch the series.  The senior righty has 44 K's on the year and nine walks in 48.2 innings.
 
The series finale will see NCCU's Alex Dandridge (Arlington, Texas) against righty Gabriel Hernandez (1-2, 3.72 ERA) who has logged 36.1 innings with 28 strikeouts on the year, while surrendering just 15 earned runs.  Dandridge (1-4, 6.41 ERA) looked sharp in his last start against A&T last Sunday going 7.0 innings with 4 hits allowed and no earned runs along with a season-high seven strikeouts.
 
The NCCU Sports Network will have wall-to-wall coverage of the critical weekend series beginning at 1:45 p.m. on Saturday with the Denny's of Durham Pregame Show as play-by-play voice Chris Hooks will be joined with former Eagle hurler Glenn Frye on the broadcast from the Durham Athletic Park.   Fans can also stay up-to-date by following @NCCUAthletics on Twitter using the hashtag #NCCUBaseball.
 
Visit www.NCCUEaglePride.com or download the NCCU Sports Network app available in the App Store, Google Play and Amazon for the latest on NCCU Athletics.