ORANGEBURG, S.C. — Senior first baseman
Joirea Dumas hit a home run in both games and the Eagles outhit their opponent in both contests, but North Carolina Central University stranded 21 other runners on base over 14 innings of play to drop two games in the MEAC North/South Round-Up at the Orangeburg Recreation Park Saturday.
NCCU left 10 runners on base in its 5-2 loss to Delaware State University before stranding 11 more in its 10-6 loss to Coppin State University. The Eagles had five runners stranded in scoring position in both games.
Dumas led NCCU with four hits on the day, including her two long balls. Dumas has launched home runs in three straight games to become the first NCCU hitter to do deep in three consecutive contest in the DI era (since 2011-12) and first Eagle since to do so since 2008.
Senior
K'Lea Parks and sophomore
Diamond Porter both had three hits. A trio of freshmen all hit safely twice, including
Lexus Brown,
Imara Harrell and
Jaylah Barr.
NC Central will conclude play in the MEAC North/South Round-Up with two games on Sunday, including Norfolk State University at 10 a.m. and Morgan State University at 12:30 p.m.
GAME ONE: Delaware St. 5, NC Central 2
The Hornets only hit safely in one inning, but DSU's six-hit barrage in the third inning was enough to secure a three-run victory.
After NCCU starting pitcher senior
Kiara Hurley retired the first six Hornets she faced, which included three strikeouts, before DSU used two consecutive bunt singles to start the third inning. That began a five-run outburst for the Hornets, which was highlighted by a two-run triple by junior Jonah Cunnigan.
The Eagles outhit Delaware State (9-16 Overall, 7-6 MEAC) by a 7-6 margin.
Hurley (2-15) did not allow another hit to the Hornets over the final four innings to try and give NCCU a chance at a comeback.
Three singles in third inning loaded the bases for the Eagles in the bottom of the third, but DSU freshman Mayanah McIntosh struck out the next two batters to escape the jam.
McIntosh (3-4), who finished with six strikeouts, did not allow a run until Dumas launched her solo home run to straightaway center with one out in the fifth. Freshman
Imara Harrell accounted for NCCU's other run, drawing a walk in the sixth and later scoring on a passed ball.
Dumas and Parks had two hits apiece for the maroon and gray.
GAME TWO: Coppin State 10, NC Central 6
NC Central jumped out to a 5-nil lead with three runs in first and two more in the second. Dumas started the scoring with her league-leading sixth home run of the season to left field. A few batters later, Parks knocked in two more NCCU Eagles with a single. Batista added an RBI-single in the second and Brown finished off the early scoring barrage by drawing a bases-loaded walk.
CSU scored its first four runs in the third, which included a three-run homer by sophomore Ashley Weimann. Freshman Vanessa Carrizosa then leveled the score with a run-producing single in the fourth before and RBI-single in the fifth by senior Haley Bravo completed the rally to put the Coppin State Eagles up 6-5.
Coppin State (3-19 Overall, 3-7 MEAC) scored for a fourth straight frame, adding four more runs in the sixth for some important insurance. The late scoring featured a two-run home run by sophomore Isabella Zalba.
Brown picked up her second RBI of the contest with a single in the bottom of the sixth to finish off the scoring for the day.
Seven different NCCU batters picked up hits, including two apiece off the bats of Dumas, Porter and Barr.
