CARY, N.C. – Sophomore outfielder Jaidyn Hamby provided a clutch two-run single with two outs in the bottom of the seventh inning, rallying the North Carolina Central University softball team to a dramatic 2-1 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference home win over Norfolk State University on Thursday afternoon at Thomas Brooks Park.
 
Hamby laced her walk-off hit up the middle of the infield to score junior outfielder Ivory Jones and sophomore pinch runner Kia Borum. The game-ending, two-RBI single ended Norfolk State's shutout bid in NCCU's last at bat and soared the Eagles ahead of the Spartans in the league standings.
 
NC Central (14-29 Overall, 12-5 MEAC) moved into second place in the league standings, one half-game ahead of Norfolk State (22-19, 12-6). The Eagles also have the potential head-to-head tiebreaker against the Spartans by winning the rubber game on Thursday and securing the season series by a 2-1 margin.
 
NCCU still has a chance at winning the regular season heading into the final scheduled MEAC series of the season when the Eagles entertain league frontrunner Morgan State University. The final home series of the 2023 season will begin with an Alumni Day doubleheader on Saturday beginning at 1 p.m., and finish with a Senior Day finale on Sunday at noon.
 
After five scoreless innings, Norfolk State used a two-out rally to take its one-run edge in the top of the sixth. Sophomore pinch hitter Lauren Sheehan drew a walk, senior Lily Potter re-entered and immediately stole second and then scored the Spartans only run on a seeing-eyed single that bounced off the second base bag hit by senior Jade Dixon.
 
NCCU's best chance to score before that point was in the bottom of the third after sophomore Jai'lyn Edwards and junior Jaylah Barr hit consecutive singles. However, NSU senior starting pitcher Cam Andersen ended the threat with a strikeout.
 
Andersen fanned seven Eagles and did not allow another NCCU hit until the final frame. Jones led off the bottom of the seventh with a single to chase Andersen from the contest and two batters later junior pinch hitter Imara Harrell singled to right to put the potential game-winning run on base. Morgan State got the second out on a ground ball, but both runners moved up into scoring position on the play to set the stage for Hamby.
 
Hamby's single bounced all the way to the center fielder as Jones scored the equalizing run. Borum raced all the way from second base, forcing a throw home for a play at the plate, but she was able to slide across in plenty of time to end the game in favor of the maroon and gray.

Sophomore starting pitcher Ashanti Eubanks kept NCCU in the contest with a strong complete-game performance. Eubanks allowed a season-low one run in a game in which she pitched at least seven innings to secure her sixth win of the year. She also had three strikeouts.
 
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