DURHAM, N.C. – The North Carolina Central University softball team will try and stay ahead of South Carolina State University in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Southern Division standings as the two programs meet in a critical three-game series at Thomas Brooks Park in Cary over the weekend.
 
There will also be a free audio webcast of all three games with NCCU Sports Network broadcaster Mike Wood on the air with the play-by-play. Fans can follow NCCU softball all season by visiting NCCUEaglePride.com and on social media at Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

GAME INFO

Saturday, April 22 | 12:00 PM (DH)
South Carolina St. at N.C. Central
AUDIO | LIVE STATS
 
Sunday, April 23 | 10:00 AM
South Carolina St. at N.C. Central
AUDIO | LIVE STATS
 
N.C. Central Softball
 
The Lady Eagles will be taking the diamond for the first time in 11 days on Saturday, after last losing a 4-0 single game at East Carolina on Tuesday, April 11. NCCU is 8-26 overall and 3-6 in the MEAC, which puts the Lady Eagles in a two-way tie for third place in the Southern Division standings, one game ahead of fifth-place SCSU (top four teams qualify for the MEAC Tournament).
 
Senior pitcher/designated player Dominique Wilson continues to lead NCCU in numerous statistical categories, both offensively and from the pitcher's circle. Wilson is batting .279 with team-high marks of four home runs and 16 RBI. She has also tossed nearly half of the Lady Eagles' innings and holds a 7-14 record with a 4.09 ERA and 83 strikeouts in 116.1 innings.
 
Other top bats in NCCU's lineup include junior pitcher Lauren Sitterson (.295, 5 R), sophomore outfielder Miriam Duen (.294, 4 2B, 4 SB), senior pitcher Jennifer Allison (.241, 8 RBI), freshman third baseman Ava Dolan (.218, 3 HR, 7 RBI, 9 R), senior catcher Kim Mobley (.195, 6 2B, 10 R) and sophomore outfielder Aleyah Evans (.190, 8 R, 6 SB).
 
NCCU won a MEAC series over SCSU for the first time in program history last season, taking 2-of-3 games in the three-game set in Orangeburg. The Lady Bulldogs lead the MEAC-era series, 10-5.
 
South Carolina St. Softball
 
The Lady Bulldogs have lost nine straight games and last dropped a doubleheader at Furman on Wednesday. South Carolina State is 2-33 overall and 2-7 in the MEAC Southern Division.
 
Junior Jada Richardson leads SCSU's lineup with a .297 average, while adding 11 RBI and 13 runs. Senior Unique Whitehurst follows closely with a .284 average and 14 runs. Juniors Deanna Sullivan (.274) and Kaneisha Pettiford (.182) are the Lady Bulldogs' top run producers with 18 and 16 RBI, respectively.  Freshman Day'sha Stewart (.240) is proving to be the team's top speed threat with team-high totals of 15 runs scored and five stolen bases.
 
SCSU has used five pitchers that have a combined 13.11 ERA. Freshman Ragin Prunty (2-5, 12.93 ERA) has both of the Lady Bulldogs' wins against North Carolina A&T while the freshmen duo of Jada Lake (0-15, 13.23 ERA, 83.2 IP) Whitney Gaylor (0-7, 13.32 ERA, 50 IP) have tossed majority of SCSU's innings.