North Carolina Central University

SOFTBALL

     by Bryan Jerrod Harvey -- NCCU Sports Information Student Assistant

     (RALEIGH, NC - April 27, 2001)  The Lady Eagles of North Carolina Central University jumped out to an early 3-0 lead, behind a two-out rally, and held on to defeat the Virginia Union University Lady Panthers on day two of the CIAA Championships by a score of 7-6 at Walnut Creek Park in Raleigh, NC.
    NCCU (17-12) head coach Lori Vazquez made a move that seemed to make all the difference in the world in this contest when she started freshman Adija Beaty to centerfield, and used Latisha McEachern at left, while normal left fielder Stephanie Kyle, still sufferring from a sprained MCL injury, played in right field.
     Four shots knocked out to Beaty and McEachern, respectively, created a problem for the VUU hitting to motivate around.
     This contest, thanks to the "BIG BATS" of Kyle and pitcher Lisa Hicks, was all about the first inning and fourth inning runs that spawned the Lady Eagles victory.  Even though, it was Hicks' RBI single in the bottom half of the sixth inning that became the eventual game-winner, as she drove in Kyle from third base on an errant throw by VUU's Candice Roberts.
     With a 7-6 lead going into the top-half of the seventh inning, it would take some hard-nosed NCCU defense to pull out the victory.
     After VUU's star second baseman, A. Upshaw, drove a 0-1 pitch into right shallow field, she would make a poor decision that would all but kill the momentum that the Lady Panthers had left in the tank.  Upshaw tried to run the single into a double, but would be gunned down at second base by right fielder Kyle.  Kyle made a picture-perfect throw into the glove of shortstop LaNelle Turner for the first out of the evening, much to the dismay of the Lady Panthers coach.
     It was all fundamentals from that point, as Felicia Johnson batted straight up into the glove of Turner for the second out.  And the third, to close out the game, was a ground ball straight to Turner, who in return, threw a rocket to first baseman Alexis Cole.
     The Lady Eagles will now prepare for the second game today when they tackle divisional opponent Fayetteville State University at 4:00 p.m.