March 31, 2007

Final Stats

DURHAM, NC - North Carolina Central University used a steal of home plate to score the only run in Saturday's opener against Elizabeth City State University, but the visiting Vikings evened the series win an 8-4 win in the second game of a CIAA doubleheader split inside Durham Bulls Athletic Park. With two outs in the bottom of the sixth inning, NCCU rookie Kurt Wilson got hit by a pitch from ECSU freshman hurler Styron Barfield. After a pair of walks loaded the bases, Wilson took a signal from head coach Henry White and he broke for home, but a startled Barfield threw the ball to third base as Wilson scored the winning run. The Eagles won the contest in spite of managing only a single hit (by designated hitter Greg Pickett in the third inning) off of Barfield, who struck out four batters in defeat. NCCU freshman pitcher Alex Weathersby scattered five hits and collected three strikeouts in his first collegiate shutout. In game two, ECSU trailed 3-1 heading into the fifth inning, but the Vikings scored seven unanswered runs to end NCCU's eight-game winning streak. ECSU (13-8,7-3 CIAA) was led by freshman Dusty Todd and junior J.J. House. Todd went 3-for-4 at the plate, including a two-run home run in the fifth inning, while House hit 2-for-3 with a three-run triple in the sixth. NCCU (15-18,10-2 CIAA) was topped by freshman first baseman Tye Gray and Wilson with two hits each, while Wilson and rookie shortstop Justin Goodson contributed solo homers for the Eagles.