CLEARWATER, Fla. – North Carolina Central was competitive against two Power Four teams in its season opening softball games on Friday.
The Eagles fell to Pittsburgh 11-3 and Rutgers 5-0 in the NFCA Division I Leadoff Classic at the Eddie C. Moore Complex. NCCU battled in both games before succumbing to each opponent.
NCCU and Pittsburgh were knotted at 1-1 heading into the fourth inning before the Panthers pulled away in the first game. The Eagles, despite the late deficit, continued to fight, scoring two runs in the final inning. The Rutgers game was scoreless through four innings until the Scarlet Knights scored three runs in the fifth.
Madeline Janssen, making her season debut in an Eagles' uniform, totaled seven strikeouts in two games. She fanned four batters in 3.2 innings as the starting pitcher versus Pittsburgh and recorded three strikeouts in two innings of relief against Rutgers.
Three Eagles –
Daiyah Bailey,
Izabella Chavez and
Hannah McGonigle - each tallied an RBI and
Cameron Frye added a double against Pittsburgh.
Simone Mack, the starting pitcher in the second game, held the Rutgers scoreless through four innings. She scattered five hits in five innings and finished with two strikeouts in the loss.
NCCU-Pitt
Pittsburgh led 1-0 in the first inning but McGonigle tied the score with a sacrifice bunt in the second inning. McGonigle scored Frye, who reached second base on a double.
The game stayed knotted until the fourth inning. Pitt scored two runs in the fourth and four runs in the fifth and seventh innings to seize control. The Eagles added two runs in the seventh inning on a bases-loaded walk that scored
Wynter Williams and a sacrifice fly by Chavez that scored McGonigle.
Janssen, who took the pitching loss, combined with
Elana Krupey for seven strikeouts and only two earned runs in six innings.
NCCU-Rutgers
The contest was a pitching duel between Mack of NCCU and Kelsey Hoesktra of Rutgers for four innings as neither team crossed the plate. Rutgers broke the scoreless tie with three runs in the fifth inning.
Mack and Janssen, who entered in relief in the sixth inning, combined for five strikeouts. The Eagles couldn't get their bats going as Hoesktra hurled a no-hit shutout.
NEXT UP
The Eagles will enter day two of the NFCA Leadoff Classic against Notre Dame at 3 p.m. and Eastern Kentucky at 6 p.m. Follow both contests via livestream (GameChanger) and live stats on nccueaglepride.com.
For more information on NCCU Athletics, visit NCCUEaglePride.com.
