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DURHAM, N.C.  – Sitting a half-game out of first place in the MEAC's (Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference) Southern Division, North Carolina Central University hits the road to battle the defending champion Tigers of Savannah State University in a three-game conference series beginning on Friday, April 18 with doubleheader action and ending on Saturday, April 19 at Tiger Baseball Field in Savannah, Ga.
 
First pitch for Good Friday's doubleheader matchup is set for 1:00 p.m. with the series finale on Saturday set for 1:00 p.m. as well.
 
NCCU (15-22-1, 10-7 MEAC) continues to be led by senior Tyson Simpson (Burgaw, N.C.) who is hitting .373 on the year with a team-high 10 doubles and 28 RBI.  Simpson is third in the MEAC in hits with 47, while senior Zack Lee (Wilson, N.C.)  with 35 runs scored is No. 1 in the conference. 
 
Carter Williamson (Roanoke, Va.) sits atop the conference with 30 RBI on the year as he is currently second on the squad batting .328 at-the-dish in his senior season.
 
SSU (13-24, 4-11 MEAC) is coming off a series defeat at the hands of Florida A&M last week and currently would not qualify for the MEAC Baseball Tournament if the season ended today. 
 
The Tigers are led offensively junior outfielder Devin Richards who is third in the conference batting .412 on the year.  As a team, SSU is fifth in the conference hitting .265 on the year, while the pitching staff is fourth in the league with a 5.35 ERA.
 
Game one will see Kyle Shields (Bailey, N.C.) take-the-mound looking for his fourth win of the season.  Shields (3-2, 3.22 ERA) has thrown 36.1 innings with 22 strikeouts on the year.  SSU head coach Carlton Hardy is sending junior righty Austin Denney (3-2, 3.88 ERA) out for his 11th start of the year.  Denney has worked 48.2 innings with 30 strikeouts and 21 walks.
 
The final game of the twinbill will see senior righty Terry McNabb (Davidson, Sask.) make his 10th start of the year.  McNabb (2-5, 3.65 ERA) has been stellar in his last two outings going 15.0 innings allowing three runs on nine hits with 17 strikeouts and two walks.  Savannah State's junior righty Brandon Whitmore (3-4, 4.17 ERA) takes-the-mound for his ninth start of the year.  Whitmore has thrown 49.2 innings on the year with 25 strikeouts and 21 walks.
 
Game three will see SSU's Zach McCormack (2-2, 5.22 ERA) toe-the-rubber as the righty has started 10 games on the year with 24 strikeouts and 18 walks.  NCCU head coach Jim Koerner will send sophomore Alex Dandridge (Arlington, Texas) to-the-hill for the final game of the series.  Dandridge (1-3, 5.87 ERA) is arguably the hottest pitcher on the staff in the last two weekend series.  In 13.2 innings of work, the right has a 1.32 ERA, surrendered just two earned runs with 11 strikeouts and seven walks.
 
The NCCU Sports Network will have full coverage of the weekend series beginning at 12:45 on Friday afternoon with the Denny's of Durham Pregame Show as play-by-play voice Chris Hooks will call the action from Tiger Field.  Fans can stay up-to-date on the series by following @NCCUAthletics and @NCCUBaseball on Twitter using the hashtag #NCCUBaseball.
 
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