DURHAM, N.C. — The North Carolina Central University softball team will host rival North Carolina A&T State University in a four-game Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Southern Division series over the weekend of April 24-25. The Eagles will recognize 11 seniors from the past two seasons between the first and second game of Sunday's doubleheader.
NOTES: Fans are encouraged to check NCCUEaglePride.com for schedule updates in case inclement weather causes any schedule changes.
GAME INFO:
DATE: Saturday, April 24 (10 AM/DH)
DATE: Sunday, April 25 (3 PM/DH, Senior Day)
LOCATION: Thomas Brooks Park, Cary, N.C.
AUDIO:
NCCU Sports Network (LaMark Wylie)
FOLLOW:
LIVE STATS;
@NCCUAthletics
NC CENTRAL DUGOUT:
NCCU went 0-5 in the MEAC North/South Round-Up last weekend in Orangeburg, South Carolina, to slip to 5-28 on the season and 3-6 in the league. The Eagles are in third place in the Southern Division and need to win the series to move into second place before heading into the final weekend of the regular season at South Carolina State University on May 1-2.
Senior first baseman
Joirea Dumas hit safely in all five games against the MEAC Northern Division to double-up her current hit streak to 10 games and increase her team-best batting average to .361. Dumas hit home runs in four of those games to move into the league lead with seven homers. She also tops NCCU with 15 RBI.
Junior
Madison Mifsud, who has missed six of NCCU's last nine games, is the only other Eagle to be batting over .300 on the season at .311. The freshmen duo of
Imara Harrell (.289) and
Hailey Batista (.250) are the top run producers for the maroon and gray. Harrell, who leads the Eagles with eight stolen bases, has scored 11 times while Batista tops NCCU by crossing home plate 14 times.
Senior
Kiara Hurley (2-16, 2 SV, 4.45 ERA, 68 SO, 130.2 IP) continues to lead the pitching staff in most statistical categories. Senior
Caroline Campbell (3-5, 7.88 ERA, 12 SO, 40.0 IP) tops NCCU's arms in wins and freshman
Jaylah Barr (0-7, 11.08 ERA, 22 SO, 36.0 IP) is coming off arguably her best performance yet when she allowed a season-low two earned runs in her last start.
NORTH CAROLINA A&T DUGOUT:
The Aggies went 2-3 in the MEAC North/South Round-Up last weekend. N.C. A&T (9-24 Overall, 9-4 MEAC) needs two wins this weekend to clinch the MEAC Southern Division title.
The freshman duo of Kendall Macauley (.348) and Alyxx Estrada (.333) rank third and fourth, respectively, in the league in total base hits. Sophomore Jai Deese (.310) is a third Aggie batting over .300. The trio has accounted for nearly half of NCAT's runs scored. Macauley and Deese both have nine stolen bases while Estrada has 12 extra-base hits with seven doubles and five triples.
A couple more rookies have hurled over 75-percent of the team's innings pitched as S'Nyiah Stinson (4-9, 5.18 ERA, 40 IP, 83.1 IP) and Kiara Richards (5-8, 8.83 ERA, 28 SO, 70.1 IP) have accounted for all nine wins in the circle.
