SALISBURY, Md. -- North Carolina Central University scored seven runs on seven hits in the top of the ninth and rallied from 4-3 down to beat Delaware State University 10-5 on Thursday, May 19 at Perdue Stadium.

With the win, NCCU (25-28) moves ahead in the winner’s bracket to face Florida A&M University on Friday, May 20 at noon.

The Eagles went ahead 2-0 through three innings with help from an RBI triple from Carlos Ortiz, but DSU (13-35) rallied ahead in the bottom of the fourth by picking up three runs on five hits and sent nine men to the plate.

The Hornets picked up an extra run and held a 4-2 lead until Bryant Battle delivered an RBI single in the top of the eighth- one of his team-best three hits- to cut the deficit to 4-3.

NCCU batted around in the top of the ninth, with the first five batters reaching safely broken up by a sacrifice bunt.  There were two bases clearing hits in the frame, a three-RBI double from Conrad Kovalcik that gave the Eagles the lead, and then a three-RBI triple from Trevor Theissen to extend the gap.

The Eagles will face FAMU for the seventh time this season, and the Rattlers have won five of the six meetings.