CHAPEL HILL, N.C. — Sophomore pitcher Kiara Hurley kept a nationally-ranked team to just four hits and one run as the North Carolina Central University softball team knocked off University of North Carolina, 3-1, Tuesday evening at Anderson Stadium.
 
The Lady Eagles broke through with three runs in the fourth on a go-ahead single by freshman Madison Mifsud and a two-run single by sophomore Jessica Powell.
 
It was all the run support Hurley needed as she kept the Tar Heels off the board until the final inning. UNC did attempt a late rally scoring one run in the bottom of the seventh. The hosts had the potential game-tying runners on second and third when Hurley induced a game-ending groundout to first before the Lady Eagles dugout erupted in celebration.
 
NCCU finishes its regular season with four consecutive wins and a 21-24 record. The 21 wins are the most by the Eagles in the programs' NCAA Division I era.
 
North Carolina concluded its regular season at 33-17. The Tar Heels are ranked No. 24 in the current Softball America Top-25 Poll and they are sitting just outside the top-25 poll receiving votes in the other rankings conducted by USA Today/NFCA Coaches and ESPN.com/USA Softball.
 
After three scoreless innings, NCCU scratched out three runs off the ace of the Tar Heels pitching staff in left-handed junior Brittany Pickett. Junior Dalika Wallace was plunked by Pickett to start the one-out rally. Sophomore Olivia Daniel then had an infield single before Misfud drove in Wallace for the first run with a seeing-eyed single up the middle. Another infield single by senior Aleyah Evans set-up a two-run single to left by Powell that plated pinch runner Tehillah Duffy and Mifsud.
 
Hurley allowed a two-out single in the bottom of the first, but then held North Carolina without another hit until the seventh inning. Hurley, who retired nine batters in a row at one time, improved to 16-13 on the season and fanned three Tar Heels.
 
Pickett (19-10), who earned First Team All-ACC honors in each of her first two seasons, suffered the loss after the one bad inning despite striking out 11 batters. Pickett tried to help her own cause with a leadoff double in the seventh, which led to the only North Carolina run.
 
Mifsud had two of NCCU's six hits and she threw out one UNC base runner.
 
NC Central will await the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference to announce the 2019 MEAC Softball Championship brackets next week. The league tournament will return to Ormond Beach, Florida, and will start on Wednesday, May 8.