CARY, N.C. – Sophomore
Takia Nichols and freshman
Kendall Smith each had three hits on the day while senior
Imara Harrell drove in three runs for the North Carolina Central University softball team in Saturday's Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference home doubleheader against South Carolina State University at Thomas Brooks Park. The Bulldogs secured a 4-0 win in the first game before the Eagles responded with a 6-3 triumph in the nightcap.
NC Central (17-34, 13-7) and SC State (11-27, 8-12) will conclude the regular season with NCCU's Senior Day. The Eagles ask fans to arrive early for the Senior Day presentation scheduled for 11:27 a.m.
GAME ONE: SC State 4, NC Central 0
The Eagles committed five errors over the first four innings, helping the Bulldogs jump out to a 4-nil lead that included three unearned runs. That was enough run support for freshman pitcher Aaliyah Williams, who tossed a complete-game shutout.
All seven SC State hits were singles, but they were enough around the errors.
Williams (3-4) had three strikeouts in her clean performance from the pitcher's circle while limiting NCCU to just four hits.
Nichols led the maroon and gray with two hits.
GAME TWO: NC Central 6, SC State 3
The Eagles used their own small ball to score four runs in the fourth inning and rally for the victory and split the double dip. The decisive frame featured RBI Harrell, junior
Jaden Davis and senior
Jaylah Barr.
Junior
Ashanti Eubanks tossed 5 2/3 innings of effective relief to earn the win. Eubanks registered seven of her 17 outs via the strikeout.
After SCSU scored the first run of the game, senior
Imara Harrell put NCCU ahead with a two-run triple down the left-field line in the home half of the first inning. The Bulldogs used four singles in the top of the third to plate two more runs and temporarily regain their one-run edge at 3-2.
Smith had two of NCCU's seven hits while Harrell totaled three RBI.
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