NORFOLK, Va. - Kendal Daniels smacked a two-run home run in the seventh inning to give North Carolina Central a dramatic 3-2 softball victory over Norfolk State in the first game of a MEAC softball doubleheader at NSU Softball Field on Saturday.
In the second game, NCCU held a five-run lead late in the game before falling 7-6. The Eagles remain fourth in the MEAC standings at 5-3 in the conference and 7-25 overall while Norfolk State is tied for second at 6-2 in the MEAC and 16-11 overall.
GAME 1
Daniels hit a pitch over the left center field fence to score
Avrelle Harrell, who pitch ran for
Mia De La Fuente. De La Fuente was hit by a pitch to reach base.
Madeline Janssen retired the side in the bottom seventh to gain the win. She improved to 4-1 in MEAC games, scattering seven hits in seven innings with four strikeouts and two walks.
Daniels was 2 for 3 batting to lead the Eagles, who were outhit 7-4 but capitalized on four Norfolk State errors. De La Fuente was 1 for 2 at the plate.
Elana Krupey put the Eagles on the board in the second inning. Her sacrifice fly scored De La Fuente for a 1-0 lead. The Spartans scored in the fourth and sixth innings for a 2-1 lead before Daniels' clutch homer in the seventh.
GAME 2
NCCU led 6-1 before Norfolk State rallied in the sixth inning. The Spartans scored six runs in the inning for a 7-6 lead and held the Eagles scoreless in the seventh.
Tyler Suttles was 2 for 4 at the plate with a triple, two RBIs and two runs scored for the Eagles, who collected nine hits.
Daiyah Bailey batted 2 for 4 with two runs scored and
Izabella Chavez drove in two runs. De La Fuente batted 2 of 3 with one RBI and
Janea Hudson batted in a run.
The Eagles jumped out to a 5-0 lead and led 5-1 through two innings. Groundouts by Chavez and De La Fuente scored Bailey and Suttles, respectively, and Hudson's single scored Daniels for a 3-0 first inning lead. NCCU added two runs in the second inning on a triple by Suttles that scored Bailey and an RBI fielder's choice by Chavez that scored Suttles.
Suttles scored
Sierra Soto on a single in the sixth inning before the Spartans rallied, sparked by a three-run homer and a solo homer. Norfolk State finished with 10 hits.
NEXT UP
The series conclude Sunday with a single game starting at 12:30 p.m.