Tamiera Sanchez
Kevin Dorsey
2
NC Central NCCU 0-1
3
Winner USC Upstate UPST 3-1
NC Central NCCU
0-1
2
Final
3
USC Upstate UPST
3-1
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E
NC Central NCCU 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 2 2 1
USC Upstate UPST 0 1 0 0 0 2 X 3 9 1

W: BROWN, Mallie (2-0) L: Hurley, Kiara (0-1)

1
NC Central NCCU 0-2
5
Winner USC Upstate UPST 4-1
NC Central NCCU
0-2
1
Final
5
USC Upstate UPST
4-1
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E
NC Central NCCU 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 4 1
USC Upstate UPST 0 0 1 0 4 0 X 5 9 0

W: SULLIVAN, Celina (1-1) L: Campbell, Caroline (0-1)

Game Recap: Softball |

NC Central Drops Opening Doubleheader to Upstate


SPARTANBURG, S.C. — Junior first baseman Joirea Dumas and senior outfielder Tamiera Sanchez each hit their first career home runs representing the Eagles in Wednesday's season-opening doubleheader, but USC Upstate was able to win both ends of the non-conference twin bill to sweep visiting North Carolina Central University by scores of 3-2 and 5-1.
 
Dumas, who transferred to NCCU from Kennesaw State University this season, was the only Eagle to hit safely in both games. She had one prior collegiate home run for the Owls. Sanchez, who joined the Eagles last season from Saint Augustine's University, had four career home runs for the Falcons.
 
The Spartans improved to 4-1 on the season while the Eagles begin their campaign 0-2.
 
NC Central will next visit No. 25 ranked University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill for a single game on Tuesday, Feb. 18 at 5 p.m.
 
GAME 1: USC Upstate 3, NC Central 2
 
Dumas blasted a two-run homer with one-out in the top of the seventh to pull the Eagles within one run, but junior reliever Mallie Brown retired the next two NCCU batters as the Spartans held on for a one-run victory.
 
Brown (2-0) collected five strikeouts – including a K to end the contest – to earn the win in four innings of relief work.
 
Upstate got on the board with an RBI-single by junior Alicia Dorgan in the second and then tacked on two important insurance runs in the sixth. Senior Alyssa Oakes, who had two of USCU's nine hits, added a run-producing single before an NCCU error extended the frame, allowing sophomore Savannah Grigsby to drive in the game-winning unearned run with an infield hit.
 
Junior Kiara Hurley (0-1) had a quality start for the Eagles, holding Upstate to just two earned runs on nine hits. Hurley fanned six Spartans in her complete-game effort. 
 
Dumas launched her long ball over the fence in right-center after senior Dalika Wallace drew a leadoff walk to begin the seventh-inning rally that fell one run short.
 
GAME 2: USC Upstate 5, NC Central 1
 
Sanchez provided the Eagles with an early 1-nil edge with her solo blast in the third. However, USC Upstate scored the equalizer in the home half of that inning and then put up four runs in the fifth to complete the sweep.
 
Freshman Tiffany Dominique paced the Spartans with two doubles and three RBI. Her sac fly in the third leveled the score and her two-run double in the fifth put Upstate ahead for good.
 
Senior Celina Sullivan (1-1) earned her first win of the season, allowing just one run on four hits over 6 2/3 innings of solid work with 11 strikeouts. Junior counterpart Caroline Campbell (0-1) went 5 1/3 innings for this visitors, but was tagged with the loss allowing three runs on six hits.
 
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