DURHAM, N.C.- The Savannah State baseball lost a doubleheader to conference rival North Carolina Central, in games played at Durham Athletic Park.
The Eagles won the opener 9-5 and completed the sweep with a 2-1 victory in the second contest.
In the first game, NCCU scored twice in the third inning for a 2-0 lead.
Fueled by a two-run single by Zachary Marszal and a two-run triple by Carlos Ortiz, the Eagles exploded for six runs off of four hits in the fifth inning to increase their lead to 8-0.
A solo home run by Mendez Elder prevented a shutout as Savannah State got on the scoreboard in he top of the sixth inning. NCCU collected three hits in the seventh but could only score one run as they went ahead 9-1.
Savannah State found some life in the eighth, getting six hits and scoring four runs.
Jonathan Moore and Charles Sikes hit back to back home runs with Moore hitting a two-run shot over the right field fence and Sikes blasting a solo homer over the center field fence. Elder followed with a double and after Brian Miller was hit with a pitch to put runners on first and second, Somto Egbuna hit a single that scored Elder for the last run of the game. Elder had three hits and scored twice for SSU while Jacob Lightle had two hits. Trevor McKenna pitched five innings and gave up seven hits and eight runs while recording three strikeouts. The Tigers had three errors.
Thomas Prospero had a home run for NCCU while Alex Dandridge struck out eight batters in 7.1 innings to earn the win.
Both teams left six men on base and had 11 hits.
In the second game, SSU (6-18, 1-4 MEAC) broke a scoreless tie in the top of the fifth when Lightle hit a sacrifice fly that allowed Miller, who led off with a single, to score.
In the bottom half of the inning, NCCU's Jacobi Harris led off with a single and scored on a home run by James Dey for a 2-1 lead.
Savannah State left two runners on base in the top of the seventh but would come away empty.
Lightle and Khalyd Cox both had two hits for the Tigers. Ryan McCranie pitched six innings and struck out eight in a losing effort. SSU had seven hits and left five men on base.
North Carolina Central (12-12, 5-3 MEAC) was led by Trevor Theissen who had two hits. Cameron Scalzo was the game winner while Justice Sampson earned the save.
The Eagles had eight hits and left six runners on base.
