DURHAM, N.C. – The North Carolina Central University softball team will be looking to make a late-season playoff push with three Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference road series beginning with a three-game set at Bethune-Cookman University on Saturday and Sunday.
All three games will be carried live on the NCCU Sports Network, with Mike Wood on air with the play-by-play. For more information on NCCU Athletics, visit NCCUEaglePride.com and follow @NCCUAthletics on Twitter.
GAME INFO Saturday, April 9 at 1:00/3:00 p.m.N.C. Central at Bethune-Cookman
Sunnyland Park | Daytona Beach, Fla.
AUDIO Sunday, April 10 at 12:00 p.m.N.C. Central at Bethune-Cookman
Sunnyland Park | Daytona Beach, Fla.
AUDIO North Carolina Central University Softball The Lady Eagles were swept in their last home series to Savannah State University on Monday and Tuesday. NCCU is 3-31 overall and 0-6 in league skirmishes. The Lady Eagles are in sixth place in the Southern Division and will need to pass two teams in the standings with three series left to qualify for the MEAC Tournament.
Senior second baseman
Jenny Tracy had seven hits against the Lady Tigers, including her team-high fourth home run, and now leads NCCU with a .319 batting average. Tracy ranks 21st in the MEAC in hitting.
Junior pitcher/designated hitter
Dominique Wilson and senior third baseman
Markell Wylie have hovered around a .300 batting average all season and currently maintain marks of .294 and .292, respectively. Wilson tops the Lady Eagles with 15 RBI and Wylie has scored a team-high 17 times.
Senior catcher
Casey Hargett (.267), freshman outfielder
Aleyah Evans (.228) and sophomore shortstop
Danyelle Noland (.216) are the Lady Eagles other regulars in the lineup batting over .200. Senior pitcher
London Booker hit her first collegiate home run on Tuesday and is batting .364 in 11 trips to the plate.
Booker (2-12, 6.53 ERA), Wilson (0-6, 6.86 ERA) and junior
Jennifer Allison (1-12, 5.53 ERA) have pitched most of NCCU's innings.
Bethune-Cookman University Softball The Wildcats, who are the preseason favorites to win the Southern Division, were swept by Savannah State but bounced back and swept North Carolina A&T State University last weekend. Bethune-Cookman (8-26 Overall, 3-3 Conf.) is 2-6 at home.
Reigning MEAC Pitcher of the Year junior Sabrina Anguiano highlights the Wildcats veterans. Anquiano (3-11, 4.41 ERA) leads the squad in innings pitched (106.1), strikeouts (54) and saves (2). Freshman Deidra Genera has added depth on the rubber for B-CU and leads the team with a 4-8 record and 3.96 ERA.
Offensively, sophomore Iesha Waters (.340, 22 RBI), freshman outfielder Annie Bakenhus (.333, 19 R) and freshman infielder Brianna Sanders (.300) have started all 32 games and are batting at .300 or above. The speedy trio has combined for 39 stolen bases with Waters and Bakenhus both tallying 15 thefts and Sanders swiping nine.
Sophomore second baseman Mariah Davis (.267, 19 R) joined Anguiano as an All-MEAC selection last season.
Bethune-Cookman swept NCCU last season – 10-0, 4-2 and 7-0 – in Durham and is a perfect 11-0 all-time against the Lady Eagles in MEAC play.
