WILMINGTON - North Carolina A&T starter Ashira Dobison
pitched perhaps her best game of the season. But unfortunately, UNC Wilmington
starter Amanda Davenport was that much better as she pitched a no-hitter in a
1-0 win in the second game of a Wednesday doubleheader at Boseman Field.
The Seahawks defeated the Aggies 10-0 in the first game.
Davenport wasn't perfect on Wednesday. She surrendered
three walks in the game while striking out four. UNCW also committed an error.
The missteps allowed the Aggies to have two legitimate threats against the
Seahawks.
The Aggies first rally occurred in the first inning.
Davenport opened the game by hitting junior Hope Fletcher with a pitch. Fletcher
moved into scoring position on a throwing error, and Tranea Jones compounded
Davenport's problems by walking.
Sophomore Juanita Jernigan moved both runners into
scoring position by grounding out to second for the second out in the inning.
Davenport got herself out of the inning by getting Aggies catcher Sabrina Edmonds
to hit a groundball out to first.
A&T again put base runners on in the visiting half of
the sixth. Zabresha Blakeney led the inning off with a walk, which was followed
by a Fletcher groundout to the pitcher that allowed Blakeney to move to second.
Dominique Smith added another runner for the Aggies as Davenport surrendered
another base on balls. Blakeney got an opportunity to third as Jones hit into a
fielder's choice.
Jones' fielder's choice forced out Smith at second, and
the Aggies could not capitalize on Davenport's generosity as Jernigan flew out
to right field to end the inning. A&T would go down in order in the seventh
to deliver Davenport (3-6) her third win of the season.
Dobison (2-6) pitched well enough to get her third win of
the season. She faced fewer batters than Davenport - 24 as opposed to 25. Only
one Seahawk walked, and the one run Dobison did surrender was posted in the
third with two out in the inning.
Kelsey Edinger singled to right center field and moved to
second on a steal. Laura Sykes' infield single allowed Edinger to score the
game's only run.
Outside of the third inning, Dobison was brilliant. The
only other trouble she ran into was in the UNCW sixth. Dobison allowed runners
to reach first and third thanks to two singles and a sacrifice bunt. The
Seahawks' push for more runs ended when Daniela Torres popped up the ball in
foul territory, and the ball landed in the glove of Dobison.
UNCW's offense was much better in the first game. Sykes
went 4-for-4 with two runs scored and Lauryn Buckworth went 3-for-3 with three
RBI including a double.
The Aggies' Dominique Smith had the Aggies (2-9) only hit
in the first game. A&T will continue to enjoy its Spring Break near the
beach. The Aggies will play in the Coastal Carolina Invitational this weekend in
Conway, S.C. The Aggies' first game will be against Hampton at 11 a.m.