PRINCESS ANNE, Md. – Senior designated player
Madison Mifsud blasted a grand slam that sparked a 10-run outburst over the final three innings as the North Carolina Central University softball team fought back from a seven-run deficit and defeat University of Maryland Eastern Shore, 11-9, to begin a three-game Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference weekend series on Saturday.
A rain delay stopped the second game of Saturday's scheduled doubleheader with the score tied at 6-6 after five innings. That game will resume on Sunday at noon before NC Central (6-16 Overall, 3-1 MEAC) and Eastern Shore (6-18, 3-1) will then conclude the three-game series with the finale after the halted came is completed. A full recap of the second and third games of the series will be published on Sunday.
GAME ONE: NC Central 11, Maryland Eastern Shore 9
Trailing 8-1 after four innings, NCCU scored 10 unanswered runs to rally and win the high scoring affair.
Mifsud sparked the rally by hitting her first collegiate home run in the fifth inning, which was a grand slam to right field that capped a five-run frame.
The Eagles added two more runs in the sixth inning, including a game-tying RBI single to left by reigning MEAC Player of the Week sophomore
Jaylah Barr.
NCCU completed the comeback and took the lead for good with three runs in the seventh inning. Freshman pitcher
Ashanti Eubanks helped her own cause with a go-ahead single that scored Mifsud. Classmate
Jai'lyn Edwards then knocked in two important insurance runs with a double to center field.
Edwards started the maroon and gray scoring on the day with her second home run of the season. Her solo shot in the third inning started a three-RBI performance to support Mifsud's four RBI outing. Edwards, Mifsud and Eubanks all scored twice.
NC Central finished with an 11-8 hit advantage with Edwards pacing the group with three base hits. Sophomore
Christy Burroughs reached base in all four of her plate appearances, drawing two walks and collecting a pair of hits.
Eubanks pitched the final five innings to earn her third win of the season. Eubanks (3-5) held the Hawks to just two earned runs over that span while tallying five strikeouts.
NCCU junior
Diamond Porter extended her hit streak to six games.
For the Hawks, sophomore leadoff hitter Tatum Kresley produced four hits, three stolen bases and two runs scored while classmate Julia Garcia knocked in four Eastern Shore runs on two hits.
