The N.C. Central University Eagles baseball team makes history this year with the start of their first season since 1975. “I feel happy that we are making history,” said freshman pitcher James Jordan.

With five games already played this season, the Eagles hope to make a mark.

The Eagles hosted the Benedict College Tigers on Feb. 11 at their new home in the Durham Bulls Athletic Park. Both teams started slow, but that changed in the third inning.

Freshman pitcher Alex Weathersby had two back-to-back strikeouts for the Eagles at the beginning of the inning. However, Benedict’s Nathan Caldwell hit a double to centerfield, bringing Anthony Browning and Alexander Harvey to homeplate, starting the score at 2-0.

Later in the inning, Justin Chapman of the Tigers hit a triple to right center, bringing Jazper Hawkins and Justin James to score with a previous run from Caldwell.

In the sixth inning, NCCU junior catcher/pitcher Robert Landis hit a home run to give the team its first score of the game.

In the eighth inning, Eagles freshman in-fielder Kurt Wilson singled to help freshman outfielder Tim McAllister score for the Eagles.

They were not going to give up that easily, with Eagles freshman in-fielder Keith Butcher singled to bring Wilson home for the run.

In the end, the Tigers were too much for the Eagles to handle. With three more runs from the Tigers, they defeated the Eagles at 15-4 for their fourth loss of the season.

“We just have to learn more about each other to play together as a team if we want to have success this season,” said Jordan.

On Feb. 10, the Eagles made history again by winning their first game of the season against Benedict College at the Durham Bulls Athletic Park.

The Eagles were off to a good start with Landis striking out Benedict’s Brevard in the first inning. Sophomore outfielder Oliver Jenkins scored for the Eagles with the help of junior catcher Seth O’Brien, hitting out to right field.

The Tigers answered with a home run hit from Deshaun Brooks to the left field. NCCU’s Landis struck out five Tigers in each inning to hold them with only one run into the sixth inning.