CARY, N.C. – Freshman
Ashanti Eubanks hit a go-ahead grand slam for the North Carolina Central University softball team, but visiting East Carolina University scored the final six runs of the game to rally for a 13-8 non-conference victory on Tuesday afternoon at Thomas Brooks Park.
Eubanks hit her first collegiate home run over the fence in right-center field to clear the bases in the bottom of the third inning that propelled the Eagles into an 8-7 edge.
The Pirates quickly responded with three runs in the top of the fourth to regain the lead for good and they tacked on runs in the fifth and seventh innings to win by five runs.
ECU (19-18) moved over .500 on the season while NCCU (9-20) had its win streak snapped at three games.
Junior
Diamond Porter and sophomore
Jaylah Barr both collected two hits for the maroon and gray. Porter also supplied an RBI, scored once and registered a stolen base.
Fans witnessed nearly half of the high-scoring affairs runs plated in the first inning with the two teams combining for 10 runs in the opening frame.
The Pirates first seven batters all hit safely in the contest in scoring six runs. The opening barrage included back-to-back home runs off the bats of sophomores Bailee Wilson and Sydney Yoder.
The Eagles answered with four runs in the home half of the frame. NCCU's first four batters all scored and the rally featured a run-producing single by senior
Madison Mifsud to extend her hit streak to eight games and an RBI-groundout by freshman
Taylor Hilliard.
ECU added one run in the second before Eubanks crushed her grand slam in the third. Mifsud and junior
Maegan Garrison were hit by pitches around a double-digit pitch walk drawn by Porter in which stayed alive by fouling off numerous pitches before being awarded the free base to load up the bases for Eubanks.
The Pirates used three hits and took advantage of three wild pitches in scoring three runs in the fourth inning to regain the lead for good. ECU scored three more times late, including their third long ball of the day in the seventh off the bat of freshman Malea Rolle.
The visitors finished with a season-high 18 hits while also drawing eight walks.
Eight different Eagles scored.
NC Central will conclude its eight-game homestand with a three-game MEAC series against Howard University on Saturday-Sunday, April 9-10.
