DURHAM, N.C. — The North Carolina Central University softball team will play its last two non-conference games of the season on Thursday in a battle of two Eagle programs, hosting Winthrop University in a doubleheader at Thomas Brooks Park beginning at 1 p.m.
GAME INFO:
DATE: Thursday, April 8 (1 PM/DH)
LOCATION: Thomas Brooks Park, Cary, N.C.
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NC CENTRAL DUGOUT:
NCCU dropped all three games to Mercer University in their last series to slip to 4-20 on the season.
The Eagles have a trio of regular starters batting over .300 on the season. Junior
Madison Mifsud paces the group with a team-best .311 average. Senior
Joirea Dumas follows closely with a .309 average while leading NCCU with nine extra base hits (6 2B, 3 HR). Freshman
Imara Harrell is having a strong rookie season, batting .302 and leading the maroon and gray with eight stolen bases on eight attempts. Fellow freshman
Hailey Batista (.273) tops NCCU with 12 RBI and 11 runs scored. Dumas follows Batista with 10 RBI.
Seniors
Kiara Hurley (2-13, 4.92 ERA, 47 SO, 101.0 IP) and
Caroline Campbell (2-4, 7.29 ERA, 10 SO, 32.2 IP) both have two wins on the season in the pitcher's circle.
WINTHROP DUGOUT:
Winthrop picked up its first Big South Conference series win of the season by taking 2-of-3 games at Charleston Southern University last weekend. The Eagles are 16-18 on the season.
Junior centerfielder and leadoff hitter Macy McCall is the current NCAA national stats leader with 29 stolen bases and her 0.85 stolen bases per game ranks seventh nationally. McCall also tops the Eagles with a .388 average and 31 runs scored.
Graduate student first baseman Ansley Gilreath provides the big power bat in Winthrop's lineup. She is second on the team with a .370 average while slugging .770. Her 12 home runs rank 15th nationally and her 33 RBI places her 26th in the DI rankings. Classmate pitcher Madyson Watson (.316, 6 HR, 19 RBI, 16 R) and senior Taylor Charlton (.312, 7 HR, 16 RBI, 14 R) provide depth to the top half of Winthrop's lineup.
Watson (8-9, 3.15 ERA, 140 SO, 113.1 IP) has hurled over half of Winthrop's innings pitched and her 8.6 strikeouts per seven innings ranks 70th nationally.
