COVINGTON, Ga. – The NCCU softball team left 10 runners on base in a 4-1 loss to Alabama A&M University in the final game of the HBCU Collegiate Softball Invitational at the Turner Lake Softball Complex on Sunday afternoon.
 
The Eagles accumulated eight hits in their attempt to win a third straight game, but NCCU stranded runners on base in each of the last six innings. The Bulldogs took advantage of their few chances, scoring their four runs on just three hits, two walks and three errors by the Eagles.
 
Senior Jaylah Barr continued her strong play with three hits, including a double in the second inning and an RBI single in the third to account for NCCU's lone run. Freshman Kendall Smith chipped in two hits and walked in the third and scoring on Barr's run-producing hit.
 
Freshman Xenna Tompkins, who was making her first collegiate pitching start, also tallied a pair of singles. Tompkins only allowed one run over four innings of work for the no decision. Tompkins and classmate Wynter Williams both registered their first collegiate hits in Sunday's game.
 
The Bulldogs put the leadoff hitter on base in all three innings they scored.
 
Alabama A&M (2-5) took the lead for good with an unearned run in the fifth and tacked on two late insurance runs in the sixth.
 
Graduate student Cris'Deona Beasley, a transfer from Florida A&M, was pitching out of jams most of the game, but she was able to wiggle out of them in allowing just one run for the complete-game victory. Beasley has both pitching wins for AAMU this season.
 
NC Central (4-6) will next play five games in the Pirate Invitational hosted by East Carolina University on Friday-Sunday, Feb. 23-25.
 
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