GREENSBORO - Senior Nick Oelker moved his way up in the company. It took time for him to learn how to get out Division I batters. Then, he got the attention of the boss, head coach Keith Shumate. On April 13, 2010, he gave up just one earned run over 5 2/3 innings in a loss at Virginia Tech.
It was there his ascension in the Aggies rotation began. Oelker is 11-4 since that day, including 7-2 this season after he led the Aggies to a 9-2 win over Coppin State in the second game of a Saturday doubleheader at War Memorial Stadium.
The Aggies won the first game 11-7. Oelker pitched his final game at War Memorial Stadium On Saturday. The Aggies will honor Oelker Sunday at noon as a part of Senior Day. He celebrated early by pitching a complete-game five-hitter. He also struck out nine and surrendered only one earned run.
Craig Richmond got to Oelker early with an RBI single to center field to score Chris Kashangaki in the first inning. The other run came on an error later in the inning to give Coppin State a 2-0 lead. Oelker was stingy from there. He set the Eagles down in order on three different occasions.
Xavier Macklin and Marquis Ruffin led the Aggies offensively. Riley went 3-for-4 with three runs scored and two RBIs. Macklin added a 3-for-3 performance with three singles and two RBIs. Three errors in the third inning by Coppin State catcher Alex Black led to four Aggie runs. Freeman scored the Aggies first run as a double steal led to Black throwing the ball into left field to allow Freeman to come home.
Riley's RBI single scored Carvell Copeland from third to tie the game at 2. After Riley reached second on a wild pitch, Macklin's single brought him home to give the Aggies the lead. Macklin gave the Aggies a 4-2 lead when he stole third and an errant throw to third allowed him to score.
Luke Tendler and Stefan Jordan added RBIs in the fifth to give the Aggies a 7-2 lead. John Bergwell (1-8) took the loss in Game 2.
The first game spark came from sophomore catcher Ryan Carlton. Carlton skipped a double down the left field line to open the seventh inning against Coppin State. The double led to an 8-run, 8-hit seventh inning for the Aggies. Carlton liked his double down the left field line so much; he did it twice in the same inning as he scored the inning's first and final runs.
Before Carlton's doubles, the Aggies led just 3-2 as Macklin hit a two-run homer in the sixth to give the Aggies the lead. After Carlton's double, Kelvin Freeman doubled to give the Aggies a 4-2 advantage. Andre McKoy followed with an RBI single. After McKoy moved to third, Riley scored him on a sacrifice fly to put the Aggies ahead 6-2.
Macklin, who ranks among the nation's active career leaders in home runs and RBIs, added to his total with his second home run of the game. It was his 44th career home run and his 173rd RBI.
The Aggies went into the ninth leading 11-2, but the Eagles rallied with five runs. Caleb Shelton came in to end the comeback attempt by getting Zach Spahn to groundout. It was Shelton's first save of the season. Esterlin Paulino (5-5) picked up the win after giving up just two runs and striking out nine over eight innings.
Macklin had a total of seven hits on the day as he went 4-for-5 in the first game. Freeman and Mark Nales had two RBIs apiece. N.C. A&T improved 17-29 overall and 8-8 in the MEAC. Coppin State (5-38, 2-15) will play the Aggies Sunday at noon.
