CONWAY, S.C. - Dominique Smith had two hits and scored two
runs to lead North Carolina A&T to a 6-5 win over Hampton in the Coastal
Carolina Softball Invitational.
The Pirates brought the winning run to the plate in the home
half of the seventh inning, but A&T starter Ashira Dobison got Travonn Byrd
to fly out to shortstop Hope Fletcher to end the game. The Aggies came away
from the invitational with a 2-3 record.
Junior Hope Fletcher led the Aggies over weekend by batting .462 (6-for-13,
1 double, 1 triple).
Dobison went the distance, but ran into trouble in the
seventh with the Aggies leading 6-4. Kelsei Saunders started the threat for
Hampton with a single to center field on an 0-2 pitch. Things got even scarier
for the Aggies as pinch-runner Brooke Boykin advanced to third on a throwing
error by Aggies right fielder Raven Smith. Sharde' Estep also reached on the
play, putting the winning run at the plate with two outs.
Carla Trimble singled to score Boykin to move the Pirates to
within one run. Dobison fought the Pirates next better to a 3-2 count before
getting Travonn Byrd to pop up. The win improves the Aggies to 4-12 on the
season. Hampton, who lost to the Aggies twice during the CCU Invite, dropped to
6-14.
The Aggies took an early lead over the Pirates in the first
inning as Fletcher opened the game with a double down the left field line.
Dominique Smith followed with a single through the right side, which was
complemented by a single from Juanita Jernigan that gave A&T a 1-0 lead. After
Tranea Jones reached on fielder's choice, Hampton starter Jailynn Jackson
loaded the bases with a walk to Raven Smith.
Detavia Kenan took advantage with right, scoring Dominique
Smith and Jones for a 3-0 lead. Kenan ended the inning by being thrown at
second trying to extend her single into a double. The Pirates responded with
two runs in the home half of the first as an Estep double scored Bian Vallejo
to make it a 3-2 ballgame.
A&T took control of the game over the next three innings
as it scored one run in each of those innings to take a 6-2 lead. The Pirates
cut that lead to 6-4 in the fourth before the Aggies halted the Pirates rally
in the seventh.
On Wednesday March 14, the Aggies will face Norfolk State in
a non-conference 2 p.m., doubleheader at the Lady Aggies Softball Complex.
