Lady Eagles Softball Opens The Season With Two Wins

CARY, N.C. - North Carolina Central posted two wins on the first day of competition during the 2011 Lady Eagles Softball Invitational beginning on Saturday, Feb. 11 at Thomas Brooks Park in Cary, N.C.

The Lady Eagles began the chilly morning with a 9-0 win over Saint Paul's College and concluded the afternoon with a 3-2 victory over Winston-Salem State University.

GAME 1

NCCU junior Andrea Searls RBI double in the fifth inning sealed the Lady Eagle's first win of the season.  Kayla McPeak received the win for the Lady Eagles while only allowing one hit in the first inning, starting off her sophomore campaign with a 1-0 record. Sophomore Shamika Chavis-Hodge entered the game for the Lady Eagles in the fourth inning, finishing out the game with no hits and four strikeouts.

On the offensive end, seniors Nadia Jefferies and Ashanti Stroud led the way with two hits each; Jefferies scored three of the Lady Eagles nine runs. Freshmen Regina Diaz and Cember Carmichael both made their college debuts with a hit and run apiece.

GAME 2

The Lady Eagles took on Winston-Salem State University (WSSU) in their second game of the day. WSSU started the game off scoring a sole run putting them ahead 1-0. NCCU answered in the bottom of the first inning, scoring two quick runs before the Lady Rams made a pitching substitution. The Lady Eagles finished the inning with three runs, putting them up 3-1.

With the next five innings remaining scoreless between both teams, the Lady Eagles maintained their lead entering the seventh inning. WSSU gave one last effort at adjusting the scoreboard in the top of the seventh inning; Candice Spinks narrowed the lead to just one. Winston-Salem State's Kayla Woodbury hit a fly ball to Nadia Jefferies to end the game for the Lady Eagles second victory of the day.  McPeek brought home the win for the Lady Eagles giving her and her Lady Eagles both a 2-0 record for the start of the 2011 season.

For the complete story, visit www.nccueaglepride.com

UMES Falls To Winston-Salem State And Western Carolina To Start Season

CARY, N.C.  - Maryland Eastern Shore softball team began their season Saturday morning with a 7-0 loss to Winston-Salem State followed by a 15-7 loss to Western Carolina at the North Carolina Central University Lady Eagles Tournament at Thomas Brooks Park.

Sophomore Carmen Gurrola made an immediate impact at the plate for her new team as she went 4-for-6 on the day with one run scored.  She recorded two hits in each contest for the Lady Hawks.

Freshman Charlise Castro tallied one hit on the day, but made it a big one as she slugged a grand slam in the third inning of the game against the Catamounts.

Also recording extra bases on the day was returning sophomore Jasmine James who went 1-for-5 with a triple to start the season.

Senior Kyrus Whitehurst  started the day immediately with leadoff single through the left side of the field.  Gurrola followed with a single to centerfield but both runners were left stranded in the inning.

UMES received another hit in the fifth inning from junior McKenzie Davis but the Lady Rams countered with three runs off of two hits to take a 7-0 lead.

The Lady Hawks looked for an answer but stranded two more runners in the sixth and seventh innings to give WSSU a 7-0 win.

In the second game of the day for UMES, Western Carolina held a 3-0 advantage after their half of the third inning.

Freshman Amber Corrigan and Whitehurst both reached base in the bottom half of the third with singles to right field.  Each runner then stole their respective base before Gurrola walked to load the bases.  Castro responded with a grand slam off of the Catamounts' Bekah Burkett to take a 4-3 lead.

WCU regained the lead in the top of the fourth as they scored three runs on three hits and one error.

The Lady Hawks looked to make a run in the bottom of the fourth as senior Ashley Johnson walked to leadoff the inning.  With Corrigan batting second, both Johnson and Corrigan scored unearned runs on an error by catcher Haley Pace to tie the game at six-apiece.

The Catamounts scored another run in the top of the fifth but UMES responded with a run of their own from an RBI by Johnson to score freshman Lauren Robertson to make things 7-7.

WCU hit a hot streak in the top of the sixth with eight runs on five hits and two errors to close out the Lady Hawks, 15-7.

For the complete story, visit www.umeshawks.com