DURHAM, N.C. — The North Carolina Central University softball team will play all five teams from the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Northern Division in a conference cross divisional round-up event at the Orangeburg Recreation Park in Orangeburg, South Carolina, over the weekend of Friday-Sunday, April 16-18, co-hosted by the City of Orangeburg and South Carolina State University.
 
TOURANMENT INFO:

DIRECTIONS: Orangeburg Recreation Park is located at 224 Magnolia Village Parkway, Orangeburg, SC, 29118, across from Lowe's on the North Road/Hwy 178. That address works on Apple Maps and Google Map Users can use this PIN.
 
TICKETS: Daily tickets are $10 each or a weekend pass is available for $25 for all three days. They can be purchased in advance online at orangeburgparks.com under the registration tab or on-site at the ticket booth. Orangeburg Recreation Park's concession stand will be open during play serving hot food, snacks, and a variety of cool beverages. The City of Orangeburg's standard COVID-19 safety protocols will be enforced. Attendees will be asked to wear a mask that covers both the nose and mouth. Social distancing should be practiced with those not living in the same household, meaning sitting six feet apart from others outside of family members. Patrons are encouraged to bring their own chairs or lawn blankets as bleachers are not available due to social distancing.
 
NCCU GAME INFO:
 
vs. Howard, Friday, April 16, 12:30 p.m.
vs. Delaware State, Saturday, April 17, 11 a.m.
vs. Coppin State, Saturday, April 17, 1:30 p.m.
vs. Norfolk State, Sunday, April 18, 10 a.m.
vs. Morgan State, Sunday, April 18, 12:30 p.m.
FOLLOW: LIVE STATS (All five games); @NCCUAthletics
MEAC STANDINGS


NC CENTRAL DUGOUT:
 
1ST STRIKE (RECORD): The Eagles are 5-23 overall and 3-1 in the MEAC, which is good for second place out of four teams in the MEAC Southern Division.

2ND STRIKE (OFFENSE): Senior first baseman Joirea Dumas is batting a team-best .342, which ranks ninth in the MEAC. Dumas leads the Eagles with six doubles and three home runs while adding 11 RBI. Freshman Hailey Batista (.282) tops NCCU with 12 RBI and 12 runs scored. Junior Madison Mifsud (.311) and freshman Imara Harrell (.302) are both batting over .300 for the maroon and gray.
 
3RD STRIKE (PITCHING): Senior Kiara Hurley has factored in four of NCCU's five wins with a pair of victories and two saves on the season. The Preseason MEAC Pitcher of the Year leads the Eagles with a 4.73 ERA and 52 strikeouts over 108 innings. Classmate Caroline Campbell (3-5, 7.41 ERA) has three wins.
 
HOWARD DUGOUT:
 
1ST STRIKE (RECORD): The Bison enter the weekend with an 11-12 overall record and a 4-8 mark in the MEAC Northern Division for fourth place.

2ND STRIKE (OFFENSE): Howard has the best team batting average in the MEAC at .288. Juniors Camille Navarro (.398, 13 R, 10 2B, 2 HR, 11 RBI, 13 SB) and Kalita Dennis (.328, 16 RBI, 16 R, 7 2B, 4 HR) were both 2019 All-MEAC selections and they join sophomore Natalie Davila (.368, 19 RBI, 10 R, 4 2B) and freshman Sydni Jones (.339, 12 RBI, 11 R, 3 2B) in batting over .300 on the season.  Dennis is the MEAC Preseason Player of the Year in 2021.
 
3RD STRIKE (PITCHING): Senior Kiana Carr (7-4, 4.71 ERA, 87 K, 80.1 IP) has tossed over half of Howard's innings and lead the league in strikeouts. She is followed by Tracy Mosley (3-2, 4.80 ERA, 18 K, 35.0 IP) and Sydney Hixenbaugh (1-6, 5.59 ERA, 13 K, 41.1 IP).
 
DELAWARE STATE DUGOUT:
 
1ST STRIKE (RECORD): The Hornets are 8-16 on the season and sit in third place in the MEAC Northern Division with a 6-6 league ledger.

2ND STRIKE (OFFENSE): Junior Jonah Cunnigan leads DSU with a .315 average, 15 runs and three stolen bases. Senior Jasmine Melgoza, who is a three-time All-MEAC honoree, follows with a .305 average. Senir Caitlin Meyer (.279) tops the squad with 19 RBI, seven doubles and four home runs.
 
3RD STRIKE (PITCHING): The Hornets have used seven pitchers this season with sophomore Maikyla Nelson (2-4, 3.41 ERA, 18 K, 53.1 IP) seeing the most action. The freshman duo of Sydney Hoffman (2-4, 6.40 ERA, 11 SO, 27.1 IP) and Mayanah McIntosh (2-4, 8.00 ERA, 21 SO, 21.0 IP) both have two wins on their rookie season.
 
COPPIN STATE DUGOUT:
 
1ST STRIKE (RECORD): The Eagles have lost eight straight games to dip to 1-19 on the season. CSU is in fifth place in the MEAC Northern Division with a 1-7 conference record.

2ND STRIKE (OFFENSE): Sophomore Brissa Alvarado is a 2021 Preseason All-MEAC First Team selection and is living up the billing with a team-best .345 average. Junior Nia Bowe follows with a .333 average and she leads CSU with nine RBI and two home runs.
 
3RD STRIKE (PITCHING): A rookie has become Coppin State's primary pitcher in Vanessa Carrizosa (0-9, 7.93 ERA, 16 SO, 47.2 IP). Alvarado (1-4, 9.69 ERA, 10 SO, 21.2 IP) has CSU's lone win.
 
NORFOLK STATE DUGOUT:
 
1ST STRIKE (RECORD): The Spartans have won seven straight games to move over .500 on the season at 14-12 overall. Norfolk State is second in the MEAC Northern Division with a 7-5 league mark.

2ND STRIKE (OFFENSE): Senior Tuli Iosefa (.344) leads the MEAC with 24 RBI. NSU has at least twice as many home runs (17) as any other team in the league. Iosefa and juniors Denisaha Megginson (.350, 18 RBI) and Gabby Vaughan (.319, 20 RBI) are all tied for the MEAC lead in homers with four apiece and junior teammate Brooke Bond (.314, 20 RBI) follows closely with three home runs. Senior Jazzmaine Hammond (.275) leads the conference with 18 stolen bases.
 
3RD STRIKE (PITCHING): The Spartans top the MEAC with a 2.69 staff ERA between their eight hurlers. Sophomore Cam Andersen (5-3, 2.89 ERA, 47 K, 53.1 IP) has seen the most time in the circle while classmate Kirsten Greene (2-1, 1 SV, 1.40 ERA, 35 SO, 35 IP) has appeared in over half of NSU's games with 16 appearances. A third sophomore in Alexis Robinson (3-5, 2.39 ERA, 30 SO, 38 IP) has also seen considerable action for the Spartans.
 
MORGAN STATE DUGOUT:
 
1ST STRIKE (RECORD): The Bears look to remain in first place in the MEAC Northern Division after entering the weekend with records of 13-10 overall and 10-2 in the league.

2ND STRIKE (OFFENSE): Sophomore Ellen Ebbers (.346 12 RBI) and senior Haylee Bobos (.328, 14 RBI) top MSU's lineup in both average and RBI. Bobos, who was named All-MEAC in 2019, also has the only two home runs hit by the Bears this season. Senior Aliya Ewell (.232) is the only Bear to start every game this season and she has a team-best 13 runs scored to go along with 10 RBI.
 
3RD STRIKE (PITCHING): Morgan State sports a 2.88 team ERA on the season. Junior MiKayla Barnard (7-2, 2.86 ERA, 34 K, 51.1 IP) and senior Stephanie Rundlett (5-5, 3.00 ERA, 34 K, 53.2 IP) have factored in nearly every win as they have spilt majority of the workload for the Bears. Rundlett is a two-time All-MEAC selection.