NORFOLK, Va. – A pair of Third Team All-MEAC selections helped lead the fifth-seeded North Carolina Central University softball team to a minor upset in the first round of the 2022 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Softball Championship hosted by Norfolk State University as the Eagles defeated fourth-seeded University of Maryland Eastern Shore, 10-2, on Wednesday morning.
Senior first baseman
Madison Mifsud drove in four runs on a trio of hits and sophomore catcher
Hailey Batista finished with two hits, two RBI and three runs scored. Both players were named Third Team All-MEAC just one day before the start of postseason play.
NCCU (12-34 Overall) remains in the winner's bracket and will next play top-seed Morgan State University on Wednesday at 3 p.m. in a rematch of the title game from last season. Maryland Eastern Shore (18-32) will next play an elimination game on Thursday at 3 p.m.
The Hawks took the initial lead in the bottom of the second on an RBI-single off the bat of junior second baseman Tyanna Roberts. Eastern Shore kept that advantage through three innings as Third Team All-MEAC redshirt senior pitcher Nasya Goodman faced the minimum the first time though NCCU's lineup.
However, the Eagles were able to get to Goodman in the fourth inning to fly ahead 3-1. Freshman pitcher
Jaden Davis drew a one-out walk to help her own cause and begin the rally. Batista was then hit by a pitch before tagging up and advancing into scoring position with Davis on a foul fly out by First Team All-MEAC sophomore shortstop
Jaylah Barr to set up Mifsud, who broke up the no hitter with a two-run, two-out single into the gap in left field. Freshman pinch runner
Kia Borum scored NCCU's final run in the fourth-inning surge on a fielding error by the Hawks.
Batista and Mifsud both supplied run-scoring singles in the top of the fifth to extend NCCU's cushion to 5-1. A leadoff triple by Goodman led to Eastern Shore's second and final run in the sixth inning, but Batista and Mifsud came through again for the Eagles as the sparked a five-run seventh inning to put the final exclamation point on the win. Batista notched another single that scored Davis, who started the frame with a double. Mifsud's team-best third hit of the contest then plated Batista for a third time for Mifsud's fourth RBI.
The Eagles finished with a 13-7 hit advantage with multi-hit performances by Mifsud, Batista, Barr, freshman designated player
Ashanti Eubanks and senior outfielder
Diamond Porter.
Eubanks kept NCCU's final outburst going in the seventh with an RBI single and Porter capped the day with a two-run triple. Freshman outfielder
Jai'lyn Edwards added a hit and a run scored.
Davis, who scored twice, tossed a complete-game victory in her first collegiate postseason start. Davis (4-8) only allowed two runs as she scattered seven hits and just issued one walk while striking out four Hawks. Goodman (8-14) suffered the loss for Eastern Shore.
Redshirt freshman outfielder Tatum Kresley, the MEAC Co-Rookie of the Year, led the Hawks with three hits.
