GAME 1
SCORE	NC Central 6 – Niagara 2
RECORDS	NC Central (1-5) – Niagara (1-3)
WINNING PITCHER	Ryan Miller (1-1)
LOSING PITCHER	Tommy Bednarski (0-1)
SAVE PITCHER	Brendan Bell (1)
LOCATION	Durham Athletic Park

 
DURHAM, N.C – The Purple Eagles split a doubleheader with North Carolina Central on Saturday, falling to the Eagles in game one, 6-2, before bouncing back with a 4-3 win in game two.

Game Recap

• North Carolina Central got on the board in the bottom of the second, first sending a run across after an RBI triple. The Eagles also scored one unearned run and led the Purple Eagles, 2-0.
• The Eagles extended their lead, 6-0, in the fourth inning with a three-RBI single, followed by an RBI single.
• A solo homerun from Benny Serrano in the top of the fifth inning put the Purple Eagles on the board and left them trailing NC Central by just five runs, 6-1.
• In the top of the seventh, Marty Cole went yard for the first time in his career, cutting the Eagles' lead to four, 6-2.
• NC Central, however, held the Purple Eagles off in the remaining innings, coming away with the 6-2 game one win.

Eagle's Eye On…

• Cole and Serrano led NU at the plate with two hits each. Both also recorded one RBI.
• Max Giordano and Joseph Tevlin each had a double.
• Dawson Bailey had one stolen base.
• Bednarski took the loss on the mound. He fanned four and allowed four hits and three earned runs in 3.1 innings pitched.
• Zach Cameron made his debut on the mound for the Purple Eagles in relief. He tossed 3.0 no-hit innings, while striking out seven and walking just one.

 

GAME 2
SCORE	Niagara 4 – NC Central 3 (7 innings)
RECORDS	Niagara (2-3) – NC Central (1-6)
WINNING PITCHER	Alex MacKinnon (2-0)
LOSING PITCHER	Shane Davis (0-1)
SAVE PITCHER	Yohn Zapata-Baez (1)
LOCATION	Durham Athletic Park

 
Game Recap

• In the top of the first inning, Giordano was walked and stole second to put the Purple Eagles in scoring position. Peter Battaglia reached base on an error by NC Central's right fielder, advancing to second and giving Giordano time to score the unearned run to give NU a 1-0 lead.
• NC Central leveled the score at 1-1 with an RBI single in the bottom of the first.
• In the top of the sixth, Bailey was walked and Giordano reached base on an error, advancing to second to also advance Bailey. Battaglia was then walked, loading the bases for NU. Cole O'Connor reached on an error from the Eagles and advanced to second, sending Bailey, Giordano and Battaglia all home to put the Purple Eagles ahead, 4-1.
•  A two-RBI single from the Eagles in the bottom of the seventh left them trailing Niagara by just one run, 4-3, with one out on the board, but NU turned a double play to close out the inning and ice the game two victory.

Eagle's Eye On…

• O'Connor and Matt Zaremba each had a double for the Purple Eagles.
• MacKinnon earned the win on the mound. He fanned five and allowed two hits and two runs in 1.2 innings pitched.
• Zapata-Baez earned his first save of the season. He gave up just one hit and walked one in 1.0 inning pitched.
• Jacob Bruning earned the start on the hill. He struck out three and allowed three hits and one earned run in 4.1 innings pitched.
• The Purple Eagles turned two double plays in game two.

Up Next

• The Purple Eagles play the final game in their series with NC Central on Sunday, Feb. 23 at 1:00 p.m.

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