DURHAM, N.C. – With the regular season winding down, North Carolina Central visits Maryland Eastern Shore in a key MEAC softball series this weekend.

The three-game series starts Saturday with a doubleheader between the Eagles and UMES at Hawk Stadium in Princess Anne, Md. Game times are 1 p.m. and approximately 3 p.m. Both teams meet again Sunday in a single game at 12 p.m.

The Eagles need victories over UMES to stay in contention for a berth in the MEAC Championship tournament on May 6-9. The top six teams in the conference standings qualify for the tournament. NCCU (5-10 MEAC, 7-33 overall) is tied for sixth and UMES (2-13, 10-30 overall) is eighth.

NCCU has dominated the series against UMES recently, winning the last nine games dating back to 2022. Last season, the Eagles defeated UMES 4-0 and 4-2 in a home doubleheader.

Offensively, Tyler Suttles, Izabella Chavez and Daiyah Bailey pace the Eagles. Suttles leads the team with a .349 batting average and Chavez bats .337 while Bailey is hitting .336.

Suttles has collected 18 RBIs while Mia De La Fuente and Chavez have 16 and 15 RBIs, respectively. Bailey leads NCCU with 24 runs scored and 11 stolen bases.

Lola Meyer is the Hawks' top hitter with a .319 batting average and 16 RBIs. Skylar Skinner leads UMES with 22 runs scored and five home runs.

NCCU has an edge over UMES at the plate in conference games, batting .311 compared to .216 for the Hawks.

The series will feature two of the MEAC's top strikeout artists. Madeline Janssen of NCCU ranks third in the conference with 54 strikeouts and Dani Brown of UMES is second with 55.

For more information on NCCU Athletics, visit NCCUEaglePride.com.