DURHAM, N.C. – North Carolina Central University and Savannah State University had to wait two extra days to play a three-game Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) at Parkwood Athletic Field, but the rain has stopped and the two Southern Division foes will finally battle each other on Monday and Tuesday.
All three games will be carried live on the NCCU Sports Network, with Mike Wood on air with the play-by-play. NCCU sports information will be providing live stats and fans can also get updates on Twitter by following @NCCUAthletics.
GAME INFO Monday, April 4 at 1:00/3:00 p.m.Savannah State at N.C. Central
Parkwood Athletic Field | Durham, N.C.
LIVE STATS |
AUDIO Tuesday, April 5 at 12:00 p.m.Savannah State at N.C. Central
Parkwood Athletic Field | Durham, N.C.
LIVE STATS |
AUDIO North Carolina Central University Softball The Lady Eagles were swept in their first MEAC series last weekend, dropping all three contests at home to two-time defending champions Florida A&M University. NCCU (2-28 Overall, 0-3 Conf.) has lost six consecutive games and has a 3-8 record in home games.
NCCU has a .207 team batting average with six regulars in the lineup holding averages above that mark. Senior third baseman
Markell Wylie paces the Lady Eagles with a .305 batting average and 17 runs scored. Junior pitcher/designated player
Dominique Wilson is just a couple ticks behind Wylie, batting .300 with a team-high 15 RBI. Senior second baseman
Jenny Tracy (.274) tops NCCU with three home runs and she matches senior catcher
Casey Hargett (.269), who has six doubles, with 11 RBI apiece. Freshman outfielder
Aleyah Evans and sophomore shortstop
Danyelle Noland follow with .229 and .221 averages, respectively.
Junior
Jennifer Allison (1-11, 5.36 ERA), senior
London Booker (2-11, 7.11 ERA) and junior
Dominique Wilson (0-5, 5.82 ERA) continue to toss most innings for the Eagles pitching staff. Allison has the most innings pitched (81.0) while Booker has the most wins (2) and strikeouts (56).
NCCU was swept by the Lady Tigers (10-2, 7-3 and 11-8) last season in Savannah, Georgia. SSU holds an 11-1 series lead against the Lady Eagles in MEAC play.
Savannah State Softball The Lady Tigers made a statement to open up league play by going on the road and sweeping the preseason favorites to win the Southern Division in Bethune-Cookman University last weekend. Savannah State (13-17, 3-0) did receiving the most first-place votes in the preseason poll but were still picked to finish second.
Senior Torrian Wright, who is the two-time reigning MEAC Player of the Year, leads the Lady Tigers with a .420 average. Wright was the NCAA batting champion last season and teams are being more selective to her this season as she is averaging over one walk per game (25 walks in 23 starts).
Freshman Cortni Jones (.341) has manufactured many of SSU's runs in her rookie season, pacing the squad with seven home runs, 26 RBI and 19 runs. Savannah State has a total of five everyday players batting over .300, including junior outfielder Alexis Singleton (.382, 17 R), sophomore outfielder Shelby Eccles (.352) and junior outfielder Chasney Jenkins (.338, 19 R, 24 BB).
Wright, Singleton and junior pitcher Amanda Hallman were all selected preseason All-MEAC. Hallman (7-8, 4.74 ERA) has over half of the Lady Tigers pitching wins and has 64 strikeouts in 93 innings. Hallman also does well from the plate, batting .267 with four home runs and seven doubles.
