Eagles dominate Delaware State 15-6
DURHAM NC – The NC Central Eagles (20-17, 12-10 MEAC) routed the Delaware State Hornets (13-22) in game one of their day-night doubleheader 15-6 at Durham Athletic Park on Saturday, May 8th.
Player of the Game: LF Luis DeLeon
Statistics: Three hits (single, double, triple), two RBI, and one run scored.
Eagles ace Ryan Miller toed the rubber for the tenth time of the season in game one. He entered the afternoon supporting stunning numbers, with an undefeated record of 8-0 and a 2.21 ERA. Miller finished the start, logging in five innings, surrendering six hits, three earned runs, three walks, and struck out six. The outing was efficient enough to earn him his ninth win.
Krew Bouldin got the nod for the Hornets, and the two-way player carried a record of 0-5 along with a 10.57 ERA into the start. He lasted just 2 1/3 innings allowing six hits, six earned runs, and two walks.
The Eagles lineup jumped on the sophomore quickly in the bottom of the first. Nick Fajardo, Kokko Figueiredo, Cort Maynard, and Luis DeLeon all reached base off singles to begin the inning resulting in two Eagles runs. It did not stop there; following DeLeon’s base knock, Jacob Raby brought in Maynard off a fielder’s choice to extend the lead to 3-0 through one inning of play.
Miller found himself in unexpected trouble in the top half of the third, allowing five runs (three earned). A three-run shot from shortstop John Weglarz put the Hornets in the run column to tie up the ballgame 3-3. The big inning extended with Cole Garey driving in an RBI single and Bouldin hitting an RBI double which helped his cause to give the Hornets a 5-3 advantage.
In the bottom of the third, the Eagles would immediately respond, adding four runs of their own. DeLeon, a problem for Hornets pitching all game long, kicked it off with an RBI triple. Shortly after, DeLeon crossed the plate off a throwing error, making it a tie game again at 5-5. Catcher Kobe Phillips ended the scoring giving his team a 7-5 lead by smashing a two-RBI double to left-centerfield.
The Eagles added eight combined runs in the fourth and fifth innings to put it out of reach. The damage was highlighted by DeLeon ripping an RBI double in the fourth, making him just a home run shy of the cycle. Along with Phillips and Cameron Norgren belting back-to-back homers in the fifth.
Brenton Fisher relieved Miller in the sixth with runners on base but recorded his three outs giving up just one earned run to bring the score to the final of 15-6. Jonathan Peacock followed Fisher making his ninth appearance, to take care of business in the seventh inning to secure the 20th victory of the season for the Eagles.