NORFOLK, Va., May 10, 2023 -- North Carolina Central scored two runs in the bottom of the fourth inning, which proved to be enough as the Eagles edged Maryland Eastern Shore 2-1 to advance in the winner's bracket of the 2023 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Softball Championship on Wednesday at the NSU Softball Field. 

The third-seeded Eagles advanced to Wednesday’s 6 p.m. winner’s bracket game against No. 2 seed Norfolk State, while the Hawks, the No. 6 seed, fell into the elimination bracket, where they will play on Thursday at 12 p.m.

Maryland Eastern Shore got on the board first, when Nola Mountain scored on an Ameenah Ballenger single through the right side to take a 1-0 lead in the first inning. 

Kia Borum got the scoring started for the Eagles, when she went in to pinch run for Takia Nichols and later scored on the double by Morgan Green to tie the game up at 1-1. Jaden Davis then added the game-winning run following a sacrifice fly from Ivory Jones to put NCCU up 2-1.

Davis struck out three and scattered eight hits in going the distance for N.C. Central. Jai’lyn Edwards led the Eagles at the plate, going 2-for-3.