DURHAM, N.C. – North Carolina Central University rolled through game one of its doubleheader 14-1 over Virginia State, however the Trojans rallied for a four-run seventh inning to take game two by a score of 5-1 Wednesday night, April 1 at the Durham Athletic Park.

NCCU (12-16) pounced on Trojan starter Colton Gunn (Dinwiddie, Va.) early, posting a big six-run second inning helped by a three-run jack to right by Conrad Kovalcik (Detroit, Mich.).  Gunn made it through one more inning where Devin Sweet (Greensboro, N.C.) cashed in for his first career RBI to make the score 7-1.  For Gunn, even though he was on the mound for a six run inning, the first man reached on an error, and all six runs came in with two outs, so all of those runs were unearned.  The RBI from Sweet was added to his ledger, so he finished with 3 complete innings thrown, six hits allowed, seven runs (one earned) with four walks and a strikeout with the loss, dropping his record to 3-1.

Carlos Ortiz (Cleveland, Ohio) smacked a solo shot in the sixth before the Eagles put together another six-run inning in the seventh.  Eric Kimber (Greensboro, N.C.) singled home a run before Ortiz and Kovalcik walked in runs with the bases loaded.  Corey Williamson (Greensboro, N.C.) added an RBI single and was followed by a 2-RBI single from Jared Kehagias (Sanford, N.C.) to finish game one at 14-1.

NCCU game one starter Cameron Scalzo (Rochester, N.Y.) worked his way through the first few innings before truly settling in and picking up six punchouts over seven innings of work.  He was struck for five hits, but gave up only the one earned run, with a walk in the mix as well.

Game two of the doubleheader was a duel, stretching to the sixth inning locked at 0-0.  One of the largest turning points of the game was the bottom of the fifth where the Eagles jammed the bases full, but left all ducks on the pond after Kimber struck out after going ahead in the count 3-0.  VSU (15-9) strung together four consecutive hits in the top of the sixth with the first run of the game coming on an RBI double from Zachery Jordan (Chesterfield, Va.) to put the Trojans in front 1-0.

Ortiz then set the scene for a dramatic finish raking a game tying four-bagger off the warehouses in right, his second of the day and team leading fourth of the year.  With the score level at one in the top of the seventh, NCCU played the chess match of matching relievers for the most favorable matchup against the VSU order, but the Trojans found their openings and put together a four-run inning with help from a 2-RBI single Tashaun Taylor (Richmond, Va.), as well as another RBI single from Jordan in back to back innings.

Jay Dee Johnson, III (Prince George, Va.) went all seven innings for the complete game victory, watching the only run of the game fly over the wall on the solo shot from Ortiz.  Johnson was reached for six hits, with a pair of walks, as well as a pair of strikeouts moving his season record to an impressive 5-0.

NCCU heads down the road to visit North Carolina A&T State University in a three game set this weekend beginning on Friday with a doubleheader at 1:00 p.m. at War Memorial Stadium.  All games this weekend will be broadcasted on the NCCU Sports Network.