DURHAM, N.C. — The North Carolina Central University softball team will host Appalachian State University in a non-conference doubleheader at Thomas Brooks Park in Cary, North Carolina, on Sunday beginning at 1 p.m. The games were added the schedule after games versus Presbyterian College for Sunday were postponed.
GAME INFO:
DATE: Saturday, March 5 (1 PM/DH)
LOCATION: Thomas Brooks Park, Cary, N.C.
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NC CENTRAL DUGOUT:
The Eagles are coming off an 8-0 road loss to No. 14 Duke University on Wednesday. NCCU (0-10) is still looking for its first win of the season.
Junior catcher
Madison Mifsud (.261, 6 hits, 2 2B, 2 RBI), freshman catcher/third baseman
Hailey Batista (.250, 5 hits, 3 RBI, 1 HR, 2 2B, 3 R) and senior first baseman
Joirea Dumas (.250, 6 hits, 1 HR, 1 2B, 1 RBI, 1 R) have all played in every game for the Eagles and have NCCU's top batting averages out of starters.
A trio of pitchers have seen action in the circle for the maroon and gray, including senior
Kiara Hurley (0-7, 4.87 ERA, 26 SO, 41.2 IP), senior
Caroline Campbell (0-1, 6.13 ERA, 8.0 IP) and freshman
Jaylah Barr (0-2, 15.09 ERA, 5 SO, 10.2 IP).
APPALACHIAN STATE DUGOUT:
The Mountaineers swept North Carolina A&T State University by scores of 15-1 and 8-4 in their last games Friday. App State (8-4) has played all of its games on the road.
A quintet of Mountaineers are batting over .300. Freshman Emma Jones is having a great start to her collegiate career, leading App State with a .405 average to go along with 10 runs, nine RBI and five stolen bases. Fellow rookie Kayt Houston follows closely with a .390 average, six extra-base hits and eight RBI in her first dozen games. Senior catcher Baylee Morton is batting .324 with team-high totals of six home runs and 15 RBI. Senior Gabby Buruato has chipped in a .308 average with eight RBI and 10 runs scored.
Senior Kenzie Longanecker, who was the first Mountaineer in program history to be named First Team All-Sun Belt in 2019, leads App State's pitching staff a 4-0 record with a 2.31 ERA and 23 strikeouts in 33.1 innings pitched. Classmate Sydney Holland has seen the second most action in the circle and has a 3-1 record with a 5.91 ERA and 17 strikeouts over 21.1 innings.
SERIES:
The two teams are 3-3 against each other over the past five seasons, but App State won the last two games by scores of 7-1 and 3-0 in 2019. The Mountaineers are 9-3 overall against the Eagles since NCCU joined the MEAC in 2011-12.
