GREENVILLE, N.C. – Senior catcher Hailey Batista and freshman outfielder Kendall Smith both hit their second home runs of the season to highlight play for the North Carolina Central University softball team in a 10-4 loss to Rider University on day one of the Pirate Invitational hosted by East Carolina University on Friday.
 
The Broncs scored five runs in their first inning of competition this season and finished with 13 hits in the six-run triumph. Rider (1-0) was led by two-time All-MAAC honoree, who drove in three runs with a pair of doubles from the leadoff spot.
 
The Eagles pulled within one run of Rider, 5-4, before the Broncs added four more runs in the top of the fifth to pull away late.
 
Smith put the maroon and gray on the board with a leadoff home run in the bottom of the third. Her solo shot to right field extended her hit streak to eight games. Smith also had an RBI single and a stolen base in NCCU's three-run fourth inning.
 
Batista hit her home run to begin the fourth and junior Jaden Davis capped that frame with an RBI-single.
 
Davis and Smith accounted for half of NCCU's eight hits with two apiece.
 
Sophomore Takia Nichols started the fifth inning with a double, but the Eagles were held without a hit from that point sophomore Jadeyn Merrill tossed 3 2/3 innings of scoreless relief to earn the pitching win.
 
NC Central will play two more games in the Pirate Invite on Saturday, playing Rider again at 10 a.m. before facing Towson University a few hours later at 4 p.m.
 
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