Clutch pitching, timely hitting, and taking advantage of six combined Virginia State errors allowed the Eagles of North Carolina Central to sweep its first doubleheader (9-1, 9-6) in more than two years on Friday afternoon at the Durham Athletic Park.
The last time NCCU swept a doubleheader was on March 7, 2009 when NCCU beat Savannah State (7-6, 3-2) at the Durham Bulls Athletic Park.
In both games the Eagles combined to score 18 runs, racked up 19 hits, and used only three pitchers in earning both wins that included senior righty Drew Robinson's first collegiate win.
Game one saw the Eagles jump out to an early 3-0 in the first two innings after two Trojan errors and three straight walks by VSU starting pitcher Mosa Cotton. The Trojan pitcher finally settled down during the bases loaded threat after walking in senior Edward Pegues by striking out the next three NCCU batters.
The Diamond Eagles couldn't solve Cotton until the fifth inning, when the maroon and gray exploded for five runs on four hits including two RBI doubles, by junior Ross Plummer and freshman Tyson Simpson, Jr. to take an 8-0 lead, but the VSU hurler struck out seven batters to keep the visiting Trojans in the contest for much of game one.
Virginia finally got a run on the board at the top of the seventh to avert the shutout falling 9-1.
Robinson's performance on the mound was such that Virginia State could never really get any offense going because until the seventh inning the Trojans only had two runners reach second base. He pitched a complete game allowed only six hits and one earned runs and struck out three batters in earning the win.
Game two saw NCCU jump out in front of VSU with three runs in the first inning and one run in the second to take a 4-0 lead.
Thanks to Troy Marrow's seventh double of the season and Nate Smith's first triple of the year (eighth in his career) the Eagle offense was off in the running in the first inning to the tune of three runs on four hits with the aid one Trojan error.
Junior Etienne Farquharson led off the second inning with a single and advanced to second on a stolen base then moved to third on a error by the VSU shortstop Josh Cox as the ball tipped off his glove and into the outfield. Simpson, Jr. drove in Farquharson with a sacrifice fly to give NCCU the 4-0 lead.
All that would be quickly erased in the top of the third inning when VSU's Howard Spencer led off with a triple which prompted a four-run rally by the Trojans in which NCCU committed two errors and allowed Virginia State to tie the ballgame at four. The Trojans scored only one earned run in that inning on just two hits.
One of the errors in the third inning was a dropped pop fly by Smith with two outs, which gave the sophomore plenty of motivation to lead off the home-half of the third inning. With two balls and no strikes Smith parked his second home run of the week to right field this time a solo shot, his third of the season, which prompted another big inning for the Eagles. Following a Plummer walk, freshman Carter Williamson drilled a double down the right field line to drive in Plummer and Farquharson drove in Williamson with an RBI single to the left side giving NCCU the lead back at 7-4.
A run in both the fourth and the fifth inning put NCCU up 9-4, but NCCU's final run was highlighted by Farquharson's first double of the year to left field driving in his third RBI of the season.
VSU added a run in the fourth and a solo home run in the seventh for the Trojans final runs of the game as sophomore right hander Glenn Frye came on in-relief to earn the save in place of starter Timothy Rennard who earned his first win of the season in the 9-6 victory for NCCU. Rennard pitched brilliantly for the Eagles going four innings allowed two earned runs and struck out three batters.
Farquharson led NCCU going 3-for-3 with a double, two RBIs, and one run scored at the plate in game two while Drayton went a very quiet 3-for-4 with three singles at the leadoff spot. Not to be forgotten, Smith's triple and home run contributed to the sophomore's 2-for-3 with two RBIs and two runs scored effort on the day.
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