DURHAM, N.C. – North Carolina Central will play in Cary, N.C., for the final time this season in a three-game MEAC softball series against South Carolina State at Thomas Brooks Park this weekend.

The series starts Saturday with a doubleheader at 1 p.m. and approximately 3 p.m. followed by a single game Sunday on Senior Day at 12 p.m. The weekend series will conclude the Eagles' regular season.

The Eagles (5-13 MEAC, 7-38 overall) are among four teams battling for the final two spots in the MEAC Championship Tournament heading into the final weekend of conference play. NCCU is tied with Maryland Eastern Shore for seventh place, one game behind Morgan State and two games behind Coppin State with three contests remaining. The top six teams qualify for the MEAC Tournament, which will be held May 6-9 in Norfolk, Va.

To secure a postseason berth, NCCU will have to get past South Carolina State (10-8 MEAC, 18-18 overall) and get help elsewhere. The Bulldogs are tied for third in the conference standings.

The Eagles will rely on the outfield tandem of Tyler Suttles and Daiyah Bailey. Suttles leads the team with a .357 batting average and 20 RBIs while ranking second with 11 stolen bases. Bailey is the team leader in hits (48), runs (26) and steals (12) and is second in batting average (.338).

For South Carolina State, Dallas Hill bats .392 with 44 RBIs and 10 home runs. Jamaria Charley has recorded 30 runs and 17 RBIs.

NCCU has history in its favor. The Eagles have captured 25 of the last 28 games in the series since 2016.

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