Box Score DURHAM, N.C. - North Carolina Central University put hits together in key situations to take down Bethune-Cookman 8-3 on Sunday, April 12 at the Durham Athletic Park to take the weekend series from the Wildcats and move a half-game back from first place.
 
With the win, the Eagles also split the season series with B-CU to help move into a strong position to take first place during the weekend series with Savannah State on April 18-19.
 
NCCU (18-18, 11-6 MEAC) was able to edge its way onto the scoreboard first for the first time during the series, with a run scored in the second.  Christian Triplett (Wilkesboro, N.C.) led off the inning with a single, advanced to second on a groundout and was singled home by Cory Williamson (Greensboro, N.C.) to put the Eagles up 1-0.
 
The score stayed that way until the fourth inning where NCCU sent eight batters to the plate.  Triplett was the first man up again, and wore a pitch on his back to take first on the second pitch of the inning.  Conrad Kovalcik (Detroit, Mich.) bunted him over on a sacrifice and Williamson walked to put two on with no outs.
 
Trevor Theissen (Franklin, Wisc.) picked up a base knock to load the bases with no outs to set the stage for a big inning.  Eric Kimber (Greensboro, N.C.) came up with two outs and without an official at bat following two walks in his first two plate appearances.  He would follow the trend picking up his third walk of the afternoon, as well as an RBI as Triplett came in from third to move NCCU in front 2-0.
 
That walk signaled the end of the day for B-CU (14-26, 12-6 MEAC) starter Alex Seibold (Lauderhill, Fla.) as he went through just three and two-thirds of an inning, allowing four hits and four walks, while striking out four, but remained responsible for the remaining runners on base.
 
Michael Austin (Sykesville, Md.) came in to put out the fire but was tagged for a 2-RBI single from Mitchell McCrary (Mills Creek, N.C.) to roll the Eagles in front 4-0.  All four runs during that inning were added to Seibold's line.
 
B-CU fired back with a three-run inning of its own in the top of the fifth, getting two of the first three runners aboard on a fielding error and a walk.  Jameel Edney (West Palm Beach, Fla.) cleared the bases with a 2-RBI triple and Bryant Munoz (Tucson, Ariz.) followed by an RBI double to drive in three runs on back-to-back extra base hits.  Eagle starter Devin Sweet (Greensboro, N.C.) was able to encourage a double play to get out of the inning, but B-CU pulled within one, 4-3.
 
NCCU responded in kind in the bottom of the fifth as Ronald Thompson (Chadborun, N.C.) started the inning with a single and advanced to second following a mental lapse between pitches during the next at bat.  Thompson tagged up to third base on a flyout before coming home on a sacrifice fly from Kovalcik to put NCCU back up by two, 5-3.
 
A walk and a single from Williamson and Theissen put two men on for Jacobi Harris (Pittsboro, N.C.), who came up with a 2-RBI single through the right side to finish the three-run response for NCCU, with the Eagles leading 7-3 through five innings.
 
Sweet stayed on the mound for NCCU for two more innings, not running into more trouble until his final inning of work in the seventh.  A pair of singles started the frame for B-CU before a lineout and a flyout to left field put two outs on the board.  Mijon Cummings (Lutz, Fla.) came up and delivered a single to left field that saw the lead runner waved home.  McCrary came up gunning for the plate from left field and delivered a strike to Kovalcik to keep the run off the board for B-CU.
 
That defensive play helped to preserve Sweet's line, who finished with seven complete innings thrown, eight hits and three runs allowed (two earned), fanning four while issuing only one free pass.
In the bottom of the seventh, Kovalcik turned around and led off the inning at the plate and picked up a walk.  He was bunted over on the sacrifice from Williamson, and later scored on an RBI single from Harris to finish the scoring for NCCU at 8-3. 
 
Harris had a standout day at the plate for the Eagles going two-for-four while driving in three of the eight runs for NCCU.
 
Andrew Vernon (Raleigh, N.C.) entered from the bullpen for the final two innings and put a cap on the afternoon without much of an issue for the Eagles to get the series win over B-CU with a final score of 8-3.  Sweet picked up the win, his fourth of the season to improve to 4-2.
 
The Eagles will hit the road for midweek action, traveling to Longwood University on Tuesday, April 14 and to Presbyterian College on Wednesday, April 15 before returning for a weekend conference series with Savannah State on April 18-19 at the Durham Athletic Park.
 
All upcoming games will be aired live on the NCCU Sports Network, available at NCCUEaglePride.com.