CARY, N.C. – Sophomore
Jaylah Barr and junior
Diamond Porter both once again went deep to highlight play for the North Carolina Central University softball team in a 11-6 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference loss to visiting South Carolina State in the series finale on Sunday afternoon at Thomas Brooks Park.
Barr led the maroon and gray with two RBI. Freshman Jaden Hamby matched Barr with two hits.
The Bulldogs ended an 11-game skid after salvaging the last game by scoring a season-high 11 runs on 10 hits. NCCU (5-15 Overall, 2-1 MEAC) still won the series after sweeping Saturday's doubleheader. SCSU (2-18, 1-2) also snapped a 17-game losing streak to NC Central, dating back to their last win over the Eagles in 2016.
The Eagles jumped out to an early 2-nil advantage after the first inning. Barr drove in the opening run with an infield single off the pitcher. A second Eagle runner was able to score on the play due to an ensuing SCSU throwing error.
Barr was NCCU's starting pitcher and she held South Carolina State scoreless for the first three innings before scoring six runs in the top of the fourth to pull ahead 6-2. The Bulldogs had five hits in the frame, highlighted by a three RBI triple to right field by sophomore Makenzie McDaniel.
Sophomore
Hailey Batista – who in the first inning drew a walk, stole second and scored – started the fourth with a double and eventually scored for a second time on a single by senior
Madison Mifsud for NCCU's third run.
Barr then launched her team-high fifth home run of the season over the left field fence in the bottom of the sixth to inch the Eagles within two runs at 6-4.
However, a three-run blast off the bat of senior Kyla Reeves started a five-run seventh inning for the victorious Bulldogs.
The Eagles were able to close the final gap to five runs after scoring two more runs in the bottom of the seventh. Porter started that scoring with a solo homer to left. Porter, who entered the weekend without a collegiate home run, hit a homer in all three games of the series. Davis capped NCCU's scoring with an RBI-single.
Freshman Zarria Smith (1-6) picked up her first collegiate win for the Bulldogs.
NC Central will next visit Elon University for a rescheduled game on Tuesday, March 22 at 5:30 p.m., before hosting North Carolina A&T State University on Wednesday at 3 p.m.
