CARY, N.C. — The North Carolina Central University softball team launched three home runs in an eight-run fourth inning to pull away to a 10-1 non-conference victory over fellow Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) member University of Maryland Eastern Shore on a soggy Friday afternoon at Thomas Brooks Park.
A pair of rain delays occurred in the bottom of the fourth. However, NCCU took advantage of the 10-minute window of play that happened between the two stoppages. After the first 12-minute delay, NCCU sent three balls over the left field fence before another brief five-minute stoppage occurred just 10 minutes later.
Sophomore first baseman
Olivia Daniel started the onslaught with a three-run shot that broke the game open in favor of the maroon and gray. Junior third baseman
Dalika Wallace followed with a solo homer to give NCCU back-to-back jacks. Two batters later after junior
Tamiera Sanchez singled, senior outfielder
Aleyah Evans deposited her own homer.
Evans leads NCCU with four home runs. Daniel follows with three round-trippers and Wallace has two of her own.
Sophomore Kiera Hurley (7-7) coasted to her seventh win of the season with six strikeouts in her five-inning complete game. Hurley scattered four hits and issued just one walk in the difficult pitching conditions.
The Hawks took the initial lead on an RBI double down the left field line by freshman Rachel Gingrich with one out in the second. However, Eastern Shore was held to just one more hit from that point over the final 3 2/3 innings.
NCCU secured the lead in the bottom of the third. Daniel drew a bases loaded walk for the game-tying RBI as she knocked in four runs on the day. Wallace put the Lady Eagles ahead with a single that plated sophomore
Jessica Powell.
The Eagles scored a run from all nine spots in the lineup with Evans being the only one to score twice.
The eight-run fourth featured seven of NCCU's 11 hits. Wallace and Daniel were the two Lady Eagles with two base knocks.
The Lady Eagles improved to 7-13 on the season while the Hawks dipped to 1-10. NC Central and Eastern Shore will conclude the three-game series with a doubleheader on Saturday starting at Noon.
