SAVANNAH, Ga. — It's not often a softball team gets to celebrate three victories in one day. North Carolina Central University accomplished that rare feat on Saturday by edging Savannah State University 7-6 in a resumed game from Friday's wet weather, then wrapping up the scheduled doubleheader with a 2-0 shutout and a 12-6 triumph in extra innings.
 
During the weekend sweep, Tamiera Sanchez led NCCU (17-23, 7-5 MEAC) offensively with a .417 batting average, collecting five hits with a double, an RBI, to runs scored and two stolen bases. Jacobia Johnson contributed four hits with a pair of runs scored, Olivia Daniel registered three hits, drove in four runs and belted her fifth home run of the season, Aleyah Evans tallied two doubles and a homer with three RBI, Nadia Blevins totaled three singles, three runs scored and four stolen bases, and Jessica Powell chipped in three hits and a pair of RBI. Dalika Wallace made the most of her two hits with her team-leading ninth double and seventh home run of the year for three RBI, while earning four walks and scoring five runs.
 
NCCU pitcher Kiara Hurley picked up two victories with nine strikeouts in 16.0 innings of work on Friday and Saturday, including a three-hit shutout in the second contest. Claire Eosso earned the win in the final game by allowing just three runs in 8.0 innings.
 
NCCU returns to action on Tuesday, April 23 at N.C. State at 6 p.m., while Savannah State (6-26, 1-11 MEAC) hosts Alabama State on Tuesday at 2 p.m.
  
Game 1 (started Friday, resumed Saturday): NCCU 7, SSU 6
Trailing 3-0 after two innings, NCCU received home runs off the bats of junior third baseman Dalika Wallace, senior outfielder Aleyah Evans and sophomore designated player Olivia Daniel to rally ahead 5-3.
 
Wallace put the maroon and gray on the board with a two-run shot in the top of the third. Evans evened the score with a solo shot in the fourth before Daniel put NCCU ahead for the first time with own two-run blast in the fifth.
 
Wallace hit her team-high seventh long ball of the season and is followed closely by Evans and Daniel with six and five home runs, respectively.
 
Sophomore pitcher Kiara Hurley returned to the pitcher's circle after missing time due to injury last week and was closing in the victory before NCCU's second and third errors of the contest allowed Savannah State to tie the score at 5-5 with a pair of unearned runs in the fifth.
 
The Lady Eagles regained the lead on a sacrifice by sophomore Caroline Campbell. NCCU plated another important run in the sixth on a double steal in which sophomore Nadia Blevins swiped second and classmate Jessica Powell stole home.
 
In the bottom of the sixth, Savannah State plated a run and positioned runners at second and third bases with two outs before inclement weather stopped the game with NCCU clinging to a 7-6 advantage. When the action resumed on Saturday afternoon, Hurley got out of the jam by forcing a flyout to right field.
 
The Tigers threatened again in the seventh inning by moving a runner to third base with just one out, but Hurley struck out the final two batters to earn the victory.
 
Game 2: NCCU 2, SSU 0
NCCU took an early lead by scoring an unearned run with two outs in the first inning, when Dalika Wallace walked, stole second and scored on a two-base error off the bat of Olivia Daniel.
 
Back-to-back doubles by Madison Mifsud and Aleyah Evans provided an insurance run for the Lady Eagles in the sixth, but it was not needed. Kiara Hurley tossed a complete game three-hit shutout, her third of the season, to capture her second win of the weekend.
 
Game 3: NCCU 12, SSU 6 (10 innings)
NCCU held a 5-3 lead in the sixth inning, but Savannah State scored twice in the bottom of the frame to tie the score.
 
After three straight scoreless innings, the Lady Eagles exploded for seven runs in the top of the 10th. That was all the cushion they needed, as Claire Eosso came off the bench to pitch 8.0 innings for the win.

Dalika Wallace amassed a career-high 10 assists from third base.