GREENSBORO, N.C. – North Carolina A&T State University completed a three-game series sweep of North Carolina Central University with a 3-2 and 8-5 wins in Saturday's doubleheader at the NCAT Softball Complex.
The Aggies (17-28 Overall, 6-9 MEAC) clinched the fourth and final playoff position from the Southern Division for the 2016 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Softball Championship in two weeks. The Lady Eagles (6-42, 2-13) were eliminated from MEAC Tourney consideration.
NCCU will conclude its season with a Senior Day doubleheader against Appalachian State University on Saturday, May 7. The twin bill will now be played on the campus of University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill (field TBD) with a revised start time of 2 p.m.
GAME ONE: North Carolina A&T 3, N.C. Central 2
NCCU senior
Markell Wylie attempted to score the game-tying run in the top of the seventh, but she was gunned down on a close play at the plate trying to score from second on a single to center by classmate
Jenny Tracy. The game-saving throw by sophomore centerfielder Raven Gray kept the Aggies ahead for the 3-2 win.
North Carolina A&T broke a 2-2 tie with an unearned run in the sixth. Senior Alejandra Barcenas drew a leadoff walk and eventually scored the game-winner on a groundout RBI by starting pitcher Zadaisha Young-Waddell.
The Aggies outhit NCCU by an 11-7 margin with senior Kimberly Brunson and freshman Lauren Dunlow both tallying three base knocks. NCAT also led 1-0 and 2-1 but the Lady Eagles rallied both times.
Junior
Brianna Hampton led off the third with a single in the right field gap and later scored on a groundout by Tracy to plate NCCU's first run. Wylie scored her team-high 23rd run to level the score for the second time in the fifth. Wylie, who had a pair of singles and a walk in the opener, scurried home on a passed ball.
Tracy and Hampton both hit safely twice.
Junior
Dominique Wilson went the distance for the Lady Eagles but suffered the loss due to the late unearned run. Wilson (0-11) fanned a season-high eight batters.
Young-Waddell only had one clean inning in her complete-game effort, but she wiggled out of several jams as NCCU left eight runners on base. Young-Waddell (5-15) issued three walks and only had two strikeouts before earning the win.
GAME TWO: North Carolina A&T 8, N.C. Central 5
The Aggies jumped out to an 8-nil advantage by scoring in three of its first four innings and looked to be on the way to a run-rule victory before NCCU exploded for five runs in the top of the fifth to extend the game. However, NCAT held the Lady Eagles scoreless in the final two innings to win the nightcap by three.
Brunson and freshman Zadia Davis highlighted the Aggies scoring as they each had a two-run single in the third. Gray also scored twice for the hosts.
NCCU needed to score at least one run in the fifth to keep the game going and the Lady Eagles delivered with a five spot that featured four hits and two walks. Freshman
Janeen Reynolds drew a leadoff walk and classmate
Erykah Smith followed with a single up the middle. Hampton knocked in Reynolds with a pinch-hit single to end the shutout bid and sophomore
Danyelle Noland plated Smith with an RBI fielder's choice. Tracy kept the rally going with a single to right before senior
London Booker drove in the next two runs with a double to left. Hargett drew the second walk of the outburst before senior
Kayleigh Brueck added an RBI single to account for the final run.
Freshman starter Mohagony Headen finally ended NCCU surge with her one of her 13 strikeouts. Headen (7-3) held NCCU to just one more hit in the final two innings to finish of the complete-game victory.
Freshman
Breanna Carter (0-2) took the loss despite only half of her six runs allowed being earned in 2 1/3 innings of work. Junior
Jennifer Allison tossed the final 3 2/3 and gave up two runs (one earned). Allison registered four strikeouts and Carter logged a pair of K's.
The Aggies edged NCCU, 9-7, in the hit column and three NCCU errors led to four total unearned runs.
Seven different Lady Eagles had one hit.
