CARY, N.C. — Sophomore Diamond Porter provided three hits and three runs scored while freshman Hailey Batista hit her first collegiate home run for the host North Carolina Central University softball team in a pair of 10-4 non-conference losses to Robert Morris University in Friday's early doubleheader at Thomas Brooks Park.
 
NC Central (0-9) will next play in a televised game on the ACC Network at Duke University on Thursday at 4 p.m. Robert Morris (4-0) completed the four-game series sweep to remain undefeated on the season.
 
GAME ONE: Robert Morris 10, NC Central 4
 
A six-run third inning catapulted the Colonials to six-run victory in the morning game. Robert Morris sent 11 batters to the plate in the frame and the first six all scored on the strength of three doubles and three singles.
 
Senior Olivia Daniel provided NCCU with the initial 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second with a two-out single that scored freshman Lexus Brown, who doubled to left earlier in the frame.
 
Four of NCCU's seven total hits were doubles. Porter accounted for half of them and she scored both times. Her second double also drove in a run. A pinch-hit double by Batista was the final two-base hit for the maroon and gray and that hit scored Porter for NCCU's last run.  
 
The Colonials scored 10 runs for a second straight game with 11 hits, including a home run by senior Madison Riggle and a pair of hits apiece off the bats of senior Natalie Higgins, junior Erika Bell and sophomore Avery Winchell.
 
GAME TWO: Robert Morris 10, NC Central 4
 
The Eagles committed five errors that led to six unearned runs by RMU, which was the final margin of victory for the visitors again. Senior Alaina York tallied three hits as the Colonials scored 10 runs for a third straight game.
 
Batista drilled a long two-run homer over the left field fence cut an early 4-nil deficit in half in the bottom of the first. Batista, who finished with a team-high three hits, drove in Porter with her round tripper after Porter led off the frame with a single and a stolen base.
 
Robert Morris was able to jump out early with four runs on four hits and a costly error in the top of the first that led to three unearned runs. A two-run single by Higgins in the fifth regained a four-run lead for the Colonials. Higgins would score later in the frame and three more unearned runs late pushed the final score to 10-4.
 
An RBI-groundout by sophomore Maegan Garrison followed by a run-producing single by senior Nadia Blevins finished off NCCU's scoring in the bottom of the sixth.
 
Junior Dana Vatakis (3-0) earned the win in both games. After going the required four innings in the opener, Vatakis tossed a complete-game in the nightcap with five strikeouts. She only allowed six earned runs over 15 innings in her three victories against the Eagles.