NCCU Splits Doubleheader Wins With A&T

DURHAM, NC- The North Carolina Central University Eagles wrapped up a weekend series with a 12-6 win and 12-7 loss in a double-header on Sunday at the Durham Athletic Park.

The first game of the day started in the Eagles’ favor. NC Central came out and scored six runs unanswered runs in the bottom of the first.

The scoring started with Cort Maynard’s homer out to the right field, his fourth of the season. Jacob Raby’s single-out to left field batted in Luis Deleon and advanced Cameron Norgren to second.

Later in the inning, Justin Bowers was hit by a pitch, which allowed Norgren, who was advanced to third by Tristan Shea’s walk, to score an unearned run. Nick Fajardo’s double to right-center field allowed Shea, Raby, and Bowers to score on the hit. Fajardo received three RBI’s on the hit.

NC Central put two more runs on the board at the bottom of the second. Raby’s double batted in Norgren and Shea’s double to the left drove in Raby. NC Central went into the top of the third with an 8-0 lead over the Aggies.

NC A&T went on a scoring drive of their own in the top of the third. Justin Williams sent a homer out to the right-field that batted in Cameron Brantley and Tj Ash.

With Brantley at-bat again, his single to right-field sent Ryne Stanley and Alex Reyna to home plate, cutting the lead to only three runs.

The Aggies would go on to score another run with Camden Williamson’s homer to right field, but this was the last run A&T would score for the rest of the game.

NC Central scored four more runs, all of which came in the bottom of the fifth inning and off of Maynard’s homerun. Maynard sent A&T’s pitch out to the right field with Kokko Figueiredo, Kobe Phillips, and Shea all on base.

This score gave NCCU a 12-6 lead, which was the final for the game.

The second game was much different. To start, NC A&T came out with five runs in the first inning. Williamson’s homerun batted in Zach McLean and Dustin Barber to start the game.

The other two scores came from yet another home run, but this time by Justin Rodriguez, who took Tony Mack with him. NC Central scored one run in the bottom of the first with Figueiredo’s homerun to center-field.

With Williams’ home run in the top of the second, that batted in Rodriguez and Stanley as well, gave the Aggies an 8-1 lead.

NCCU was not going to go away quietly though. The eagles went off for a six-run fifth inning that made the score 8-7.

Ahmir Cournier single to left field that batted in DeLeon started the scoring drive. Another single by Norgren scored Maynard, and a single by DeLeon, drove in Figueiredo.

Nick Fajardo was batted in by another single, this time by Maynard, and Chet Sikes was put in by Fajardo. Bowers also scored a run on a fielding error.

The Aggies responded with a four-run inning kicked off by Mack’s homer that put in three of his other teammates. Stanley, Shane Faulk, and Grant Tilley were all put in shot into home base by Mack.

The final score of the game was 12-7.

NCCU‘s (12-11, 4-4 MEAC) double-header n Sunday was the final two games played in a four-game series against the Aggies. NCCU plays Delaware State in a four-game series next Friday, with the expectation of improving their 4-6 away record.