GREENSBORO - The North Carolina A&T baseball team did all it could to sustain the momentum it had going against Bethune-Cookman on Saturday.
By the time the game finally concluded on Sunday, the weather and the Wildcats' timely hitting proved to be the difference in a 10-7 loss at War Memorial Stadium. The Aggies and the Wildcats had to continue the second game of Saturday's doubleheader after a rain storm forced its postponement. After the game was completed, the two teams played Sunday's regularly scheduled game with Bethune-Cookman winning 11-1.
The Wildcats had to scratch to capture the lead against the Aggies in Sunday's makeup game. In the fifth inning of the seven-inning game, Brashad Johnson gave the Wildcats the lead on an RBI single through the left side. During the next at-bat, Brandon Turner's sacrifice fly gave the Wildcats their first lead of the game at 7-6.
Luke Tendler kept the pressure on the Wildcats, who came into the game having won 23 straight regular-season games against MEAC opponents. Tendler opened the sixth inning with a double into the left field corner. Bethune-Cookman reliever Jordan Dailey retired the next two Aggies before Stefan Jordan laced a single into center field. Jordan hit the ball so hard, Tendler had to sprint from second to score.
Tendler was actually able to score easily as the throw from Turner in center field soared over the head of catcher Peter O'Brien. Tendler's run tied the game at 7, and Turner's throw allowed Jordan to slide into second safely. An unfortunate slip, however, halted the Aggies' chance to score more. Pinch-runner Michael Radford appeared to have an excellent opportunity to score after Carvell Copeland singled through the left side.
But Radford slipped on the wet surface as he made his turn at third. An Andre McKoy groundout ended the inning with the game still tied. Johnson untied the game to open the seventh with a line drive shot over the left field wall. The Wildcats scored two more runs to take a three-run lead.
N.C. A&T was not ready to let its opportunity to end the Wildcats' conference winning streak slip away. Marquis Riley greeted B-CU reliever Joseph Muñoz with a single to left field. Dairio Little's routine groundball to third base looked as if it would result in a double play. It didn't. Emmanuel Castro's throw forced Alejandro Sanchez off the second base bag, allowing Riley to slide in safely, and putting the tying run at the plate.
After a strike out, Tendler moved the runners into scoring position with a groundout. Muñoz picked up his second save of the season by striking out Craig Erskine. Dailey (1-1) picked up the win while Garrett Braun (1-4) took the loss. Jordan led the Aggies with three RBIs, while N.C. A&T first baseman Kelvin Freeman posted two RBIs. Johnson led the Wildcats with three hits, three runs scored and three RBIs.
Saturday's second game ended with the Aggies holding a 4-0 lead in the top of the third. The Aggies earned the lead thanks in part to an RBI single by Freeman. Erskine followed with a double down the left field line to score Xavier Macklin. A throwing error by pitcher Scott Garner allowed two more runs to score to complete the four-run inning.
The continuation of Saturday's game started with the bases being full of Wildcats. B-CU used that to score two runs in the third before a two-base error and a sacrifice fly from Freeman helped the Aggies to regain their four-run lead going into the fourth inning.
Tendler led the Aggies (8-22, 2-6) in Sunday's second game by going 2-for-3 with a run scored. Castro had three RBIs to lead the Wildcats who improved to 19-15 overall and 6-0 in the conference. Patrick Goelz got the win, Brent Moore took the loss. The Aggies are back in action 4 p.m., Tuesday at Gardner-Webb.
