GREENSBORO - It was just what a young softball team like North Carolina A&T needed. Freshman Lauren Clement helped the Aggies avoid a three-game sweep at the hands of S.C. State by hitting a walk-off single to lead N.C. A&T to a 6-5 win Sunday afternoon at the Lady Aggies Softball Complex.
The Aggies trailed 5-3 going into the home half of the seventh. Juanita Jernigan opened the inning with a double to right center field. Sophomore Hope Fletcher followed with another double to score pinch runner Niasia Calhoun. With no one out, freshman Tiffany Macklin put runners on first and third with an infield single.
Senior Ryanne Hill came through with an RBI single to right field that tied the game at 5. Dominique Gillard moved Macklin and Hill into scoring position by grounding out to the right side of the diamond. But after a long battle with S.C. State starter Vianney Gomez, Sabrina Edmonds struck out on a 3-2 pitch, leaving Clement as the Aggies' last chance to win in regulation.
Clement didn't leave any doubt she was up to the moment. She took Gomez's 1-1 offering and roped into left field to record the game-winning RBI as Macklin scored the game winner. It was the Aggies second big rally at the LASC in the last 11 days. The Aggies rallied from a 5-0 deficit against UNC Wilmington on March 23.
The Aggies found themselves down 4-0 on Sunday before they got on the board. Fletcher helped the Aggies score their first run with an RBI triple to right field as Jernigan scored. Macklin followed with an RBI double to cut the Bulldogs lead to 4-2. Hill scored Macklin on an RBI single to move the Aggies to within one.
The Bulldogs (6-30, 2-1) would add another run before Clement's heroics. Fletcher picked up the win on the mound as she improved to 5-10. She also had an excellent day at the plate by going 2-for-4 with two RBIs and a run scored.
Hill also shined offensively with three hits and two RBIs. Macklin scored twice and Clement added two hits and an RBI. The Aggies (6-19, 1-2) return to action Tuesday afternoon when they travel to Cullowhee, N.C., to face Western Carolina at 3 p.m.
