DOVER, Del. - North Carolina A&T put together two impressive late innings to defeat Delaware State 12-4 in the first game of a Saturday doubleheader at Soldier Field. In the second game, Eddie Sorondo helped the Hornets split with the Aggies as he scored on a wild pitch in the bottom of the seventh (the final inning of the game) to lead DSU to a 9-8 victory.
The first game saw three different Aggies hit home runs. Xavier Macklin and Kelvin Freeman had four RBIs apiece, while Marquis Riley finished 4-for-5 with two runs scored. Luke Tendler added a 3-for-5 day with three runs scored and three RBIs.
The Aggies went into the eighth inning trailing 4-2. N.C. A&T put two runners on base in the eighth as Dairio Little and Tendler reached on singles. With two outs in the inning, Delaware State went to reliever Tommy Dill to face Aggies slugger Xavier Macklin.
Macklin took Dill's first pitch to the deepest part of the ballpark for a three-run homer and a 5-4 lead. The home run for Macklin was monumental because it was his 40th career home run. Macklin's bruising shot was a spark.
N.C. A&T went into the ninth inning with even more offense. Tendler's two-run RBI double to right field gave the Aggies an 8-4 advantage. With runners on third and second, Macklin was hit by a pitch to load the bases. It set up an opportunity for Freeman to put the Hornets away for good. He did precisely that with a grand slam over the left field wall.
It was his second career grand slam and it gave the Aggies an 8-run cushion. Garrett Braun came on in the ninth to secure the win. Starter Esterlin Paulino (4-5) picked up the win. He pitched eight innings, struck out 10 and walked two.
The Aggies were not finished hitting home runs, however. Macklin celebrated his 40th career home run by hitting his 41st in Game 2. His home run came in the seventh cut DSU's lead to one at 8-7. Freeman followed with a double to center field. Mark Nales singled to put runners on first and third.
Michael Radford tied the game on a sacrifice fly to left field to tie the game at 8 going into the home half of the seventh. Sorondo led the inning with a single. Tony Gatto moved him into scoring position with a sacrifice bunt before two battery mistakes led to the game winning run. A passed ball advanced Sorondo to third, leading to his game-winning run on the wild pitch.
The doubleheader split left the Aggies 15-28 overall and 6-7 in the MEAC. The Hornets (22-21, 10-4) will host the Aggies on Sunday at 1 p.m. Freeman also went 3-for-4 with two runs scored and three RBIs as he also followed his Game 1 homer with another one in Game 2. Tendler hit his fifth home run of the season in the late game.
