Box Score DURHAM, N.C. – North Carolina Central University battled all the way to the ninth inning, but were taken down 3-2 by Charleston Southern Wednesday night at the Durham Athletic Park, ending the Eagles' eight-game home winning streak.

Right handed junior Cameron Scalzo (Rochester, N.Y.) had a great start on the mound for NCCU (11-12), working perfectly through the Buccaneer order for the first three innings, but was finally reached for an RBI double in the fourth inning by Nate Blanchard (Loganville, Ga.) that opened the scoring.

CSU (12-11) made the one run lead stand for two innings before sophomore center fielder Carlos Ortiz (Cleveland, Ohio) flexed his muscle with a two-run tater to right center to put the Eagles in front in the bottom of the sixth.

Scalzo stayed in for the seventh with the one-run lead, but got tagged for a pair of two-out doubles that leveled the score at two before completing the inning and leaving with a no decision.  

CSU starter Dylan Lee (Cleveland, Ga.) also lasted seven complete innings with a nearly identical line to Scalzo, both giving up six hits and two earned runs, without a walk; the only difference being Lee earned five strikeouts to Scalzo's two.

Lee was the pitcher of record when Cole Murphy (McDonough, Ga.) scratched across what turned out to be the winning run in the eighth on an RBI single; improving his record to 1-1.  

Senior Kyle Shields (Bailey, N.C.) was responsible for the winning run after watching an RBI single skip by him on an 0-2 count.  Shields' record fell to 1-2 for the season with the decision.

NCCU will head south to Spartanburg, South Carolina for a three-game weekend set with Wofford, with the series opener slated for 6:00 p.m. Friday, March 27.