DURHAM, N.C. – North Carolina Central University and North Carolina State needed to play an extra inning to decide a winner, but it was the Wolfpack who were able to come away with an 11-10 win after 10 innings at the Durham Athletic Park on Wednesday, March 6.
 
NCCU (5-8) jumped out to an 8-1 lead over NCSU (12-0) as the Eagles belted three homers against the Wolfpack.  Corey Joyce (Lexington, N.C.) hit the first of the game in the bottom of the first inning as the Eagles moved ahead 2-0, and then Carter Williams (Brown Summit, N.C.) knocked a two-run blast to right in the bottom of the second to give NCCU a 4-0 lead.
 
NCSU responded with a run in the top of the third, but the Eagles really broke the game open with four runs in the bottom of the fifth to take an 8-1 advantage with help from a towering three-run cannonball from Caleb Coyle (Wake Forest, N.C.).  The Wolfpack steadily worked back into the game starting in the sixth inning, and scored nine unanswered runs to pull ahead with a 10-8 lead in the top of the ninth inning.
 
The Eagles weren't quite done as the maroon and gray plated two runs of their own in the bottom of the inning, and nearly won the game on an RBI single from Vinny Bailey (Raleigh, N.C.) but the Wolfpack were able to throw out the winning run at the plate from left field to send the game to extras.
 
NCCU had lifted three home runs in the game already, but Will Wilson (Kings Mountain, N.C.) hit the final one as a solo shot to lead off the tenth inning moved the guests ahead, 11-10.  NCCU still was able to bring the winning run to the plate in the bottom of the extra frame after Joyce knocked his fourth hit of the game, but the Wolfpack were able to stop the rally and stop the timer on a game that officially clocked in at four hours and 25 minutes.
 
Joyce reached in all six of his plate appearances for the Eagles with four hits plus a home run, and Coyle was responsible for four RBI for the Eagles.  Tyler Penner (Matthews, N.C.) had a career day on the mound as he tossed 5.1 innings with four strikeouts to reach new career marks in both of those categories, and left the contest with a no decision.
 
Wilson also picked up four hits for NCSU and drove in four RBI, while reliever Nick Swiney (Huntersville, N.C.) tossed seven strikeouts over three innings, and punched out his first six batters consecutively.
 
The Eagles will begin MEAC Southern Division play against North Carolina A&T on Friday, March 6 at 6:00 p.m. at the Durham Athletic Park.  Admission is free.