DURHAM, N.C. – Sophomore Dominique Wilson hit a walk-off, two-run homer in lifting North Carolina Central University to a dramatic 6-4 win in Wednesday's opener and the Lady Eagles kept the momentum in the nightcap rolling to a 9-0 triumph in five innings to complete a softball non-conference sweep of Montreat College.
Wilson went 5 for 7 on the day with three extra base hits and three RBI while also pitching a complete-game in first contest.game one. Sophomore
Brianna Hampton, who drove in a pair of run in each contest, then tossed her first collegiate shutout in the finale.
NCCU has won four straight games and moved back over .500 at 14-12 overall. The Cavaliers of the NAIA departed at 6-25.
The Lady Eagles hit .429 (21 of 49) in the twin bill and got three-hit performances from Hampton, junior
Casey Hargett, junior
Angelique Perricelli and senior
Emerie Germ.
NCCU trailed for most of the opener and never led until Wilson crushed her fifth home run of the season over the fence in left-center with two-outs in the bottom of the seventh. Germ started the rally with a single to left.
Montreat was able to load the bases with one out in both the second and third innings. The Cavaliers capitalized with three runs the first time around but Wilson was able to eliminate the threat the second time to avoid further damage. The two teams then traded one run apiece as Montreat maintained a 4-1 lead at the midway point.
Hampton pulled the Lady Eagles to within one with a two-run single to center in the bottom of the fourth. Senior
Martha Batie, who scored NCCU's first run in the third after singling and stealing second and third base, tied the game up with an RBI double down the left field line. Batie's equalizer scored Hampton, who hit her own double down the right field line in the frame, to once again set up more seventh inning theatrics for the Maroon and Gray.
NCCU entered the day coming off back-to-back wins in the seventh inning on Sunday over Quinnipiac University and Rider University.
Wilson (5-6) posted eight strikeouts in her seven innings from the pitcher's circle. The Mooresville, N.C., product had three of the Lady Eagles hits in the contest.
NCCU tallied four runs in the first, two in the third and three in the fourth to pull away for the run-rule victory in the nightcap.
The Eagles tacked on 11 more hits with Hargett going a perfect 3 for 3 with a trio of singles and an RBI. Hampton produced her second two-run double of the day and Wilson scored thrice. Tracy and Germ both chipped in two hits, one RBI and one run scored.
Hampton garnered her first career shutout in only her third collegiate start. Hampton (1-0) allowed five hits but she scattered them evenly over her five innings of work to keep Montreat of the scoreboard.
NCCU will begin league play against MEAC Southern Division opposition when the Lady Eagles host Bethune-Cookman University in a three-game set this weekend including a doubleheader on Saturday at 1 p.m. and the series finale on Sunday beginning at Noon.
