GREENSBORO - After a forgettable defensive performance on
Friday, North Carolina A&T used its defense to defeat Western Carolina 4-2
during the second day of the North Carolina A&T Softball Invitational held
at Lady Aggies Softball Complex on Saturday.
There were four games played among 25-30 mile per hour winds
on Saturday with the lead game being a game resumed from Friday's foursome of
contests as Western Carolina defeated Utah Valley 6-5. The Utah Valley Wolverines
then followed with a 6-3 win over Marist.
In the game following A&T's win, Youngstown State
defeated Marist 12-7. Friday's rain delay has forced an adjustment to the Invite's
schedule.
The Aggies will take on Utah Valley Sunday morning at 9.
If Utah Valley, who is 2-1 in the A&T Invite, wins the
game, the championship game will likely be decided by best overall record
because the Wolverines have to get on a plane Sunday afternoon. Youngstown will
face Western Carolina at 11 a.m. The Aggies then face Marist at 1 p.m., with
the possible championship game scheduled for 3 p.m.
The Aggies evened their record to 1-1 in their own
invitational thanks to a 4-for-4 performance by junior Hope Fletcher. Detavia
Kenan went 2-for-3 with a run scored. Right-hand starter Ashira Dobison also
had her best outing in her short Aggies career. Dobison pitched a complete-game
two-hitter, struck out three and did not give up an earned run.
A&T's win over Western Carolina was big considering the
Catamounts were 2-0 in the A&T Invite coming into the game after two
one-run wins.
Fletcher, the Aggies leadoff hitter, opened the Aggies first
with a bunt single. She moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Zabresha
Blakeney. A WCU error by third baseman Haley Pace put runners on first and
second as Tranea Jones reached. But Juanita Jernigan hit into a fielder's
choice that eliminated Fletcher from the bases.
WCU starter Jordan Garrett continued to run into trouble,
however, as she hit Raven Smith with her next pitch. The defense behind Garrett
didn't do her in favors either. Dominique Smith's fly ball to left field was
dropped by Jordan Fulton, allowing Jones and Jernigan to score for a 2-0 Aggies
lead.
Another A&T run was added in the second as Kenan led the
inning with a single. She moved to second on a Tiffany Macklin sacrifice.
Another Fletcher single put runners on the corner. Two pitches later Fletcher
stole second. The throw to second by WCU catcher Heather Christian was not
close to throwing out Fletcher, and it prompted Kenan to run home.
She too made it with no problem as the Aggies went ahead
3-0.
Fletcher, the Aggies
catalyst the entire game, gave Dobison all the support she needed in the fifth.
Fletcher picked up her fourth single of the day on another bunt. Jones followed
with a one-out single, and Raven Smith drove Fletcher home with a single to
left field.
A defense, that committed five errors behind Dobison on
Friday, was strong for her on Saturday. In the third, WCU second baseman Megan
Crowe tried to turn a single to left into a double. But Kenan gunned her down
at second to leave the bases empty for the Catamounts.
In the fourth, Aggies second baseman Macklin made a great
play going to her left to throw out Jordan Fulton going to second. After the
Catamounts scored two in the sixth to bring the tying run to the plate,
Blakeney made a play in the hole at shortstop to as she threw a laser to first
to put out Kelly Braman. The outstanding play ended the inning, as WCU shortstop Shemekia Scotton was stranded
at third.
Dobison (1-2) retired the Catamounts in order in the seventh
to pick up her first Division I win. The Aggies (1-3) still have a chance to
win the championship with two more games remaining in the round robin format.
Utah Valley, Youngstown State and WCU are 2-1. Marist is 0-3 thus far.
