GREENSBORO, N.C. – North Carolina Central University was held to just four singles in an 8-0 loss to Brown University in the Lady Eagles first game of the UNCG Spartan Classic Friday afternoon at the UNCG Softball Stadium.
 
The Bears scored eight runs off 10 hits, three walks and three errors by the Lady Eagles in the five-inning contest. Brown improved to 5-2 overall and NCCU fell to 0-12.
 
Brown took a 4-0 lead in the top of the second that was highlighted by a bases-clearing, three-run double by Janet Lueng. The Bears tacked on three runs in the third and one last run in the fifth. Brown's last three runs were all unearned due to errors by the designated hosts.
 
The Lady Eagles looked poised to score in the bottom of the fourth when junior Jenny Tracy, senior Casey Hargett and senior Kayleigh Brueck had three consecutive singles to lead off the fourth. However, Leah Nakashima struck out the next two NCCU batters and then induced a fly out to end the threat and keep the shutout bid intact.
 
Nakashima (2-1) had five strikeouts in the complete-game victory.
 
Freshman Breanna Carter had the Lady Eagles first hit with a two-out single to left in the third.
 
Nine different Bears collected hits with Sofia Venegas leading Brown with two singles. Leung finished with four RBI and Grayson Metzger scored three times after singling and drawing two walks.
 
Senior London Booker (0-5) was on the hook for the loss after allowing seven runs (five earned) over the first three innings.
 
NCCU continues play in the UNCG Spartan Classic with two games on Saturday against Rutgers University (9:30 AM) and Brown (Noon).