DURHAM, N.C. – The North Carolina Central University softball team will play its first standard doubleheader of 2017 when the Lady Eagles battle host Elon University on Saturday at the Hunt Softball Park beginning at Noon.
 
Fans can follow NCCU softball all season by visiting NCCUEaglePride.com and on social media at Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.


GAME INFO


Saturday, Feb. 18 | 12 PM (DH)
NCCU at Elon
GAME 1 STATS | GAME 2 STATS
 
N.C. Central Softball
 
The Lady Eagles opened up their season by going 1-3 in the Campbell Invitational last weekend. NCCU split two games with University of Maryland Eastern Shore and were shutout by Saint Francis University and the host Camels.
 
Senior pitcher Dominique Wilson (1-2) has started her final season in the pitcher's circle well, posting a 2.39 ERA and a .228 batting average against in her first three appearances. Both marks rank second in the early-season MEAC statistical rankings. Wilson also has 13 strikeouts in 14.2 total innings.
 
Junior Lauren Sitterson (0-1, 7.27 ERA, 1 K) and senior Jennifer Allison (0-0, 10.50 ERA, 1 K) have also seen time on the rubber multiple times for NCCU last weekend.
 
Offensively, the Lady Eagles are batting just .216 with six runs score in four games.
 
Sophomore outfielder Miriam Duen (.500) and senior Catcher Kim Mobley (.308) lead NCCU with four hits apiece. Freshman third baseman Ava Dolan (.300) has NCCU's lone home run and is tied with junior middle infielder Ryann Kostandin (.182) with two RBI apiece. Sophomore outfielder Aleyah Evans (.231) is the other Lady Eagle batting over the "Mendoza Line" (over .200). Mobley has a pair of doubles to account for half of her hits and Dolan sports a .500 on-base percentage by drawing a team-high two walks.
 
NCCU will be playing the Phoenix for the first time in two years, last losing at Elon on March 13, 2015 by a 6-1 margin.
 
Elon Softball
 
The Phoenix opened up the season with a three-game sweep of MEAC member Hampton University, but are coming off a 6-2 setback at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill on Wednesday. Elon (3-1) committed five errors and only tallied two hits in its last performance.
 
Junior outtifelder Kara Shutt is an All-CAA honoree in each of her first two seasons at Elon and currently has a team-high five hits in four games (.357 average). The left-handed batter hit nearly .400 last season to highlight a veteran squad that features 12 returning letter winners.
 
However, a newcomer in freshman Kenna Quinn has made an immediate impact for Elon's pitching staff. Quinn is 2-0 with 0.00 ERA in 10.0 innings pitched over three appearances with six strikeouts. Junior Kendra Mitchum has shared most of the pitching load with Quinn and is 1-1 with a 3.32 ERA with a team-high 11 strikeouts in 12.2 innings.
 
The Phoenix are batting .284, have a .936 fielding percentage and a 2.59 staff ERA.
 
Elon is coming off back-to-back winning seasons and is picked fifth in the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA).