Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 DURHAM, N.C. – Senior outfielder Ronald Thompson blasted a pair of homers in game two of North Carolina Central University's doubleheader with Bethune-Cookman, helping the Eagles win 8-4 after falling 4-2 in game one on Saturday, April 11 at the Durham Athletic Park.

B-CU (14-25, 12-5 MEAC) scored first in both games of the doubleheader, and did so in game one by being patient at the plate.  The first man walked and the second was hit by a pitch to put runners on first and second with no outs.  The Wildcats then attempted a double steal, however game one catcher Conrad Kovalcik (Detroit, Mich.) had his head on a swivel and teamed up with third baseman Eric Kimber (Greensboro, N.C.) to tag out the lead runner.

Another walk followed during that at bat to again put runners on first and second, and Nathan Bond (Orlando, Fla.) brought home the first run of the afternoon with an RBI single to go in front 1-0.  The Wildcats stretched the lead out in the top of the fourth with a two-run homer to left center courtesy of Austin Garcia (LaBelle, Fla.) to move the score to 3-0. 

B-CU starter Keith Zuniga (Nogales, Ariz.) was efficient on the mound early giving up just four hits over the first four innings of game one.  One of those hits however, was a big fly from Carlos Ortiz (Cleveland, Ohio) who picked up his second of three hits in game one on the solo shot to bring a run back for the Eagles, making the score 3-1 in the bottom of the fourth.

B-CU would get that run right back in the top of the fifth as Garcia laced an RBI double to put the Wildcats back in front by three, 4-1.  Garcia ended up a triple shy of the cycle in game one, going 3-for-4 with the homer, a double and a single later in the game driving in three runs.

NCCU (17-18, 10-6 MEAC) lefty Jordan Quinn (Goldsboro, N.C.) worked through the fifth inning on the mound before finishing his day.  He picked up three strikeouts while walking three, and allowed eight hits and four runs (all earned).  Jamar Hinton came in for long relief in the sixth and finished the game from the bullpen, pitching four complete frames allowing just two hits and two walks, while striking out one.

The Eagles attempted to rally in the later innings, leaving the bases loaded in the sixth, but they did convert and drive in a run in the seventh.  Harris picked up a walk before Trevor Theissen (Franklin, Wisc.) came up with a double to left field.  Harris used his speed rounding the bases, and was able to score after the Wildcat left fielder made an error throwing to second attempting to cut down Theissen to bring the Eagles within two, 4-2.  Theissen advanced to third on the error, but ended up being stranded.

Zuniga was the man on the mound for B-CU for all of the Eagle scoring, lasting seven complete innings and was reached for eight hits as well, however only walked one and cut down five at the plate.  He allowed two runs, though only one was earned picking up the win to improve to 5-3 for the season, and remains tied for the conference lead in wins.

The Wildcat bullpen took over for the final two innings and combined for three strikeouts without allowing a single Eagle on base.  Clint Clymer (Ormond Beach, Fla.) locked the door with the save, picking up his league-leading seventh of the year.

B-CU brought home the first run in game two as Bond hit an RBI single, and the Wildcats would load the bases before Alex Dandridge (Arlington, Texas) picked up consecutive strikeouts to keep the score at 1-0.

The Eagles wouldn't take long to respond as Kimber was hit by a pitch as the leadoff man, and was bunted over on a sacrifice from Mitchell McCrary (Mills Creek, N.C.).  A failed pickoff by Tyler Norris (Coral Springs, Fla.) allowed Kimber to move to third on a throwing error, before he touched home on a groundout from Ortiz to level the score at 1-1.

Thompson led off the second inning for NCCU with a lengthy at bat which saw him connect well with a pitch that just turned foul down the right field line.  He stayed at the plate and saw another enticing pitch to hit which he vaporized to the roof of the warehouse in centerfield to put the Eagles in front for the first time of the day, 2-1.

The lead wouldn't last long as B-CU's bats got hot in the third inning.  Jordan Robinson (Ft. Pierce, Fla.) drew a walk as the first man up and advanced to third on a single from Bond.  Mijon Cummings (Lutz, Fla.) picked a timely spot to get his first hit of the day as he picked up an RBI single to even the score at 2-2.

Garcia then cleared the bases with a 2-RBI single to put the Wildcats back on top, 4-2.  Dandridge was able to coax a grounder out of the next man up, and that turned into a double play started by Kimber at third.

Kyle Shields (Bailey, N.C.) took over from the bullpen after a B-CU double, and Shields finished the inning with a strikeout to limit the damage.

Thompson led off an inning for the second time in game two as the first man to the plate in the fourth inning, and earned a walk.  Standing on first for the first time in the day, he took the opportunity to blaze the base paths, swiping second and third on consecutive pitches.  He waited there until Theissen came through with an RBI single to edge NCCU closer on the board, 4-3.

That was the last batter Norris faced for B-CU, going through three and two-thirds of an inning allowing three runs (two earned) on just two hits, but walked four and also fanned five as German Hernandez (Cleburne, Texas) entered from the bullpen.

The Eagles mounted a rally in the bottom of the fifth starting with a McCrary single and an Ortiz walk.  Christian Triplett (Wilkesboro, N.C.) came to the plate to bunt the runners over, and connected with one that spun perfectly and stopped on a dime.  Hernandez had an issue getting the ball out of the grass, and Triplett reached first on a bunt single to load the bases with no outs.

That set the stage for Thompson who waited through another long at bat before rocketing a line drive grand slam over the tall wall in right field to crash the Eagles into the lead, 7-4.  Thompson finished game two with a pair of well hit smashes, picking up five RBI in the process.  His two homer day ties him for the team lead with Ortiz, with five.

NCCU brought across one more run in the sixth after Theissen led off the inning with a single and McCrary hit a single of his own that resulted in a throwing error from the shortstop that let Theissen advance to third.  Ortiz dug into the left-handed batters box and executed the squeeze play by perfectly dragging a bunt down the first base line to pick up the RBI and the final run of the day for NCCU, making the score 8-4.

In game two, the Eagle bullpen responded to the game one performance from B-CU as Shields worked through two and one-third and rung up three Wildcats.  Blake Morgan (Durham, N.C.) picked up a six-out save, the first of his collegiate career, tossing 30 pitches while cutting down two, including the final batter of the day.  Shields was the pitcher of record when Thompson hit his grand slam, and saw his record go up to 2-3.

With the doubleheader split, B-CU will retain first place in the division at least through the weekend, and the Eagles will look for the series win Sunday, April 12 at 1:00 p.m. at the Durham Athletic Park.
Admission for the game is free, and the game will also be aired live on the NCCU Sports Network, available at NCCUEaglePride.com.