DURHAM, N.C. — The North Carolina Central University softball team begins Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) competition by hosting a three-game weekend series against South Carolina State University at Thomas Brooks Park. The Eagles and Bulldogs will first play a doubleheader on Saturday beginning at 1 p.m. and then play the series finale on Sunday at 2 p.m.
Fans are encouraged to check
NCCUEaglePride.com or the NCCU Eagles Athletics app for updates as the schedule is subject to change.
GAME INFO:
Game Program
DATE: Saturday, March 19 at 1 p.m. (DH)
DATE: Sunday, March 20 at 2 p.m.
LOCATION: Thomas Brooks Park, Cary, N.C.
LISTEN:
NCCU Sports Network
FOLLOW:
LIVE STATS;
@NCCUAthletics
NC CENTRAL DUGOUT:
The Eagles head into league play on the heels of a walk-off victory on Tuesday to split a doubleheader against Western Carolina University. NCCU (3-14, 0-0) was picked fourth out of eight teams in the MEAC Preseason Predicted Order of Finish poll. The Eagles were the tourney runner-ups last season after advancing to the championship game of the MEAC Softball Championship for the first time in program history in 2021.
Sophomore catcher
Hailey Batista hit the three-run, walk-off homer against the Catamounts. Batista is one of four Eagles that was named Preseason All-MEAC. Batista (.189) has two home runs and five RBI on the season.
Junior third baseman
Maegan Garrison (.167) has taken over the team lead in RBI after driving in five runs in that triumph over WCU. Garrison has two doubles, two home runs and nine RBI.
Garrison, senior catcher/designated player
Madison Mifsud (.216) and sophomore middle infielder
Jaylah Barr (.182) all join Batista as Preseason All-MEAC honorees. Barr has a team-best .375 on-base percentage and three home runs while totaling seven RBI.
A pair of freshmen top NCCU's lineup in batting average.
Jaden Davis and
Jaidyn Hamby are batting .289 and .279, respectively, while each providing one home run. Davis had four hits against Western Carolina and enters league play on a four-game hit streak. Hamby has seven RBI and five runs scored.
Junior
Diamond Porter (.150) leads the Eagles with three stolen bases and has scored six times.
In the pitcher's circle, Davis tops NCCU with a 2-4 record, 6.36 ERA and 28 strikeouts in 44.0 innings pitched. Freshman
Ashanti Eubanks (1-5, 12.65 ERA, 19 SO, 27.2 IP) just picked up her first collegiate win on Tuesday and rounding out NCCU's pitching staff are Barr (0-3, 10.11 ERA, 5 SO, 9.0 IP) and freshman
Anisa Reynolds (0-2, 13.42 ERA, 7 SO, 12.0 IP).
NCCU and SCSU played a four-game series last season with the Eagles sweeping the series by scores of 7-3, 10-1, 6-4 and 2-1 (10 Inn.).
SOUTH CAROLINA STATE DUGOUT:
The Bulldogs have lost their last nine games, including being swept 11-1 and 8-0 in its last doubleheader at USC Upstate on Tuesday. South Carolina St. (1-16, 0-0) was picked eighth in the 2022 MEAC Softball Predicted Order of Finish poll.
Sophomore pitcher/designated player Deasia Lowther is a Preseason All-MEAC selection and she has been living up to the hype for the Bulldogs. Lowther leads SCSU with a .371 batting average, eight RBI and three home runs. In the circle, Lowther (1-6, 8.47 ERA, 10 SO, 41.1) has SCSU's lone win and leads the team in strikeouts and innings pitched.
The Bulldogs have used five pitchers this season with freshman Zarria Smith (0-5, 6.19 ERA, 7 SO, 26.0 IP) leading the group in ERA.
Sophomore Makenzie McDaniel (.233) has scored a team-best six times while freshman Kaylah Leslie (.143) tops the Bulldogs with six stolen bases.
