Jonathan Figueroa 2018
Keshawn Ennis
2
Savannah State SSUBB 4-14, 1-4 MEAC
10
Winner N.C. Central NCCUBB 18-7, 6-2 MEAC
Savannah State SSUBB
4-14, 1-4 MEAC
2
Final
10
N.C. Central NCCUBB
18-7, 6-2 MEAC
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Savannah State SSUBB 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 2 3 1
N.C. Central NCCUBB 0 6 0 1 1 0 0 2 X 10 11 1

W: Figueroa, Jonathan (5-1) L: HILL, Caleb (1-3)

6
Winner Savannah State SSUBB 5-14, 2-4 MEAC
1
N.C. Central NCCUBB 18-8, 6-3 MEAC
Winner
Savannah State SSUBB
5-14, 2-4 MEAC
6
Final
1
N.C. Central NCCUBB
18-8, 6-3 MEAC
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E
Savannah State SSUBB 0 1 4 0 1 0 0 6 7 0
N.C. Central NCCUBB 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 4 1

W: TORRES-LOPEZ, Luis (1-1) L: McCort, Jake (2-2)

Game Recap: Baseball |

NCCU Eagles Clinch Series with Strong Start from Figueroa

DURHAM, N.C. – North Carolina Central University clinched its third-consecutive Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Southern Division series as the Eagles split a doubleheader with Savannah State on Sunday, March 25 at the Durham Athletic Park.  Jonathan Figueroa (Chicago, Ill.) fired a career-high 11 strikeouts in game one for a 10-2 win before the Tigers took the second, 6-1.
 
NCCU (18-8, 6-3 MEAC) now holds a one-game lead over Florida A&M who the Eagles will meet during the upcoming weekend.
 
GAME ONE: NCCU created separation in the bottom of the second inning as the Eagles put together six runs with a couple of two-RBI hits from Andrew Valichka (Pedricktown, N.J.) and Zach Michalski (Belews Creek, N.C.) and used that cushion to stay ahead of SSU (5-14, 2-4) for the rest of the contest.
 
Figueroa made his way through the Tiger order unscathed the first time through, and recorded eight of the first nine outs by way of the strikeout.  He gave up just one earned run and two hits over seven innings of work to help the Eagles lock down a series-clinching win.
 
Michalkski had one of his best games of the week as he drove in three runs on two doubles and a walk.  Jordan Varela-Payne (Rolesville, N.C.) touched home three times in the contest on a hit and two walks.  Jacob Raby (Granite Falls, N.C.) picked up two RBI as he went 2-for-4 with a walk and a run scored.
 
Khalyd Cox (Palmetto, Fla.) broke up Figueroa's string of nine-straight retired batters to start the game with a solo home run in the fourth inning for the Tigers.
 
GAME TWO: The trend of pitchers dominating the weekend series continued into game two of the doubleheader, as Luis Torres-Lopez (Jacksonville, Fla.) pitched five complete innings and allowed just one earned run to help the Tigers stop NCCU from sweeping the series.
 
SSU broke the game open in the top of the third inning as the Tigers pushed in four runs to take a 5-0 lead.  NCCU got its lone run of the game in the bottom of the fifth inning on a bases loaded hit-by-pitch.
 
Marcus Mitchell (Marietta, Ga.) picked up the second homer of the day for the Tigers on a solo blast in the fifth inning.
 
NCCU will next travel to Norfolk State on Tuesday, March 27.
 
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