GAME 1

The Short Story:  The University of Maryland Eastern Shore softball team opened up a three-game MEAC series with North Carolina Central on Saturday with a doubleheader. The Hawks used runs in both the fifth and sixth innings to take a lead before the Eagles scored in extra innings for the win.

THE GAME FACTS
Score: NCCU 6, UMES 5 (8 inn.)
Location: Salisbury, Md.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• The Eagles would take an early lead with one run in the first and two in the second, 3-0. 
• UMES answered in the fourth with three runs of their own. With two outs, Ryan Merriwether walked and McKenzie Abiley followed with a single through the left side. Ava Fleming got the second hit of the frame for the Hawks through the right side, advancing Abiley to second and allowing Merriwether to score. Naveah Terrell knocked the ball to deep right field scoring both Fleming and Abiley before getting tagged out on a run down.
• One out in the bottom of the fifth saw UMES get runners on first and second thanks to a walk by Morea Hodge and a single by Nola Mountain. After a strikeout on a double steal, Amennah Ballenger signled through the right side scoring both runners and giving the Hawks the 5-3 lead.
• NCCU answered right away, tying the score up in the top of the sixth with a pair of runs on one hit. 
• With the score tied at 5-5, the contest went to extra innings. Each team started their half inning with the last batted out of the previous inning. The Eagles were able to push their runner across before preventing the Hawks from doing the same to escape game one with the 6-5 win.

BY THE NUMBERS

• Mountain led the Hawks with two hits on a 2-for-4 performance with a run scored.
• Both Ballenger and Terrell finished the game with two RBIs.

GAME 2

The Short Story:  Both teams scored early in the second game of the doubleheader before a pair of runs by NCCU allowed them to complete the Saturday sweep.

THE GAME FACTS
Score: NCCU 4, UMES 3
Location: Salisbury, Md.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Using a pair of hits, the Eagles got on the board in the top of first when a runner on third scored on a wild pitch.
• However UMES answered right away in the bottom of the frame with a two-out rally. Abiley picked up the walk before Ballenger hit a single allowing the Hawks to put runners on first and third. Merriwether followed with another single scoring Abiley and putting runners on first and second. Ballenger would come around and score to put the Hawks ahead 2-1 after just one inning.
• After the Eagles tied the game up at 2-2 in the top of the third, Ballenger and Merriwether led off with the back-to-back singles. Kelsie Ekstrom sacrifice bunted the pair over a base before a sacrifice fly by Fleming scored Ballenger's second run of the game and gave the Hawks the lead again. 
• The score would remain the same until the top of the sixth when NCCU took their second lead of the contest with a pair of runs on two hits. It was the only runs they would need as they held off the Hawks in the final two innings for the day sweep.

BY THE NUMBERS

• Ballenger went 3-for-4 at the plate with two runs scored in game two. 
• Jaycee Holt also collected three hits on a 3-for-3 second game and was one of five Hawks with a multi-hit game; Merriwether, Ekstrom, Fleming all had two apiece.