DURHAM, N.C. - North Carolina Central has an opportunity to climb up the MEAC standings in its softball series against Norfolk State this weekend.

The Eagles will face the Spartans three times at NSU Softball Field - Saturday in a doubleheader at 1:30 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. and Sunday in a single game at 12:30 p.m. Follow the action via live stats on nccueaglepride.com.

A sweep or two wins would elevate NCCU in the conference standings. The Eagles are fourth at 4-2 in the MEAC and 6-24 overall while the Spartans are tied for second at 5-1 in the MEAC and 15-10 overall. 

After playing a challenging non-conference schedule, the Eagles have won five of their last eight games including an 8-6 victory over Longwood - a team they had never beaten before in the Division I era - in a Wednesday home doubleheader. Several players have keyed the Eagles' surge.

Tyler Suttles leads the team offensively with a team-high .556 batting average to go with seven RBIs in conference games. If not for an injury that kept her out the first series, Suttles would be tied for sixth in the MEAC in batting average. Izabella Chavez is tied with Cameron Frye for eighth (.500) in batting average and also is tied for ninth in runs scored (6) and ranks 10th in RBIs (5).

Mia De La Fuente is third in RBIs (9) and Kendal Daniels is tied for third in runs scored (9). Daniels is one of four Eagles ranked among the top 10 in runs scored in MEAC games as Daiyah Bailey is tied for fifth (7) and Hannah McGonigle ties Chavez for ninth (6).

Madeline Janssen has been effective on the mound in MEAC games, ranking fourth in earned run average (1.72) and tied for first in wins (3). Janssen, 3-1 in the MEAC, is tied for seventh in strikeouts (8). 

The Spartans, entering on a seven-game win streak, are led offensively by Mandy Morris, who ranks fourth in MEAC games in batting average (.625) and first in three categories including home runs (4). Aniyah Michalak is tied for third in runs scored (9).

Morris also highlights a pitching staff with four Spartans among the top 10 in ERA in conference games. Her 1.78 ERA ranks fifth right behind Janssen of NCCU.

The series features the top two hitting teams in MEAC games. The Spartans lead the MEAC with a .377 batting average and the Eagles are right behind at .370. Norfolk State (2.33) and NCCU (2.84) are third and fourth, respectively, in team ERA. 

The Eagles have won eight of the last 10 meetings between the teams, which both faced Longwood this season. The Eagles split a doubleheader, winning 8-6 and falling 13-6 on Wednesday while Longwood defeated Norfolk State 11-1 on the road on March 11.

Last season, NCCU took two of three games from Norfolk State in the regular season but the Spartans won their MEAC Tournament matchup.