GREENSBORO – A late-inning home run and an error-filled are the two components Savannah State used to earn a doubleheader sweep of the North Carolina A&T baseball team on Saturday, 8-7 and 6-2, in MEAC action at War Memorial Stadium.
The losses drop A&T to 2-16 overall and 0-7 in the MEAC. The Aggies have lost eight straight overall and nine straight conference games dating back to last season. Four Aggies – Kyle Clary, Brandon Wilkerson, Micah Carmony and Milton Rivera – had two hit games in Game 1. Carmony was 2-for-5 with two RBI and Rivera was 2-for-4 with two runs scored. Game 2 saw Clary go 2-for-3 as he was a combined 4-for-6 with two runs scored and two RBI on the day.
Games 1 and 2 saw the Aggies take early leads. In Game 1, they led 4-1 after the fourth thanks to an RBI Clary single that scored Rivera who was moved into scoring position thanks to an error by Savannah State second baseman Jacob Lightle in the fourth.
A&T held on to the three-run advantage until a monster six-run sixth inning that saw the Tigers produce six hits to take a 7-4 lead. But perhaps the biggest two blows were two wild pitches thrown on third strikes that not only allowed batters to reach but allowed two runs to score.
The Aggies quickly responded against SSU right-hand reliever Sherman Graves. Freshman Myles Sowell hit a one-out double to right-center field to start the rally. Graves got sophomore Timothy Ravare to fly out but hit Clary with the first pitch he threw to him to put runners on first and second. Wilkerson brought Sowell home with a single to right to cut the Tigers lead to 7-5.
Right-hander Rex Davis replaced Graves and gave a two-run RBI single to Carmony as the Aggies tied the game at 7.
The Aggies had turned to freshman Jerry Liang toward the end of the Tigers' big six inning. He got the last out of the inning and was superb throughout his appearance. But Liang (0-3) was the tough-luck losing pitcher on Saturday after Tigers third baseman Zachary Brigham blasted a two-out home run over the right field fence to give the Tigers an 8-7 lead in the ninth inning. Liang went 3.1 innings and the only run he surrendered was Brigham's homer.
Zach Chandler came on in the ninth inning to retire the Aggies order for his second save of the season. Right-hander Brian Miller (1-0) picked up the win in relief. The Aggies can take solace in the fact they were effective against SSU starter Austin Denny (RHP). The Aggies touched him for nine hits and four runs (three earned) after Denny came into the game with a 0.55 ERA.
David Richards helped the Tigers to overcome that by going 4-for-5 with three RBI and two runs scored.
The Tigers (12-11, 6-2 MEAC) were aided by some Aggie miscues in the second game. Again, the Aggies were able to take an early lead. This time the lead came via the bats of Clary and Wilkerson who had an RBI single and an RBI double respectively to give A&T a 2-0 first-inning advantage. But a six-run fourth inning that featured three Aggie errors that all stung.
The inning opened with a dropped fly ball followed by Brigham's second homer of the day a two-run shot to right field to tie the game at 2. A Richards single was then followed by a throwing error. Harrison Moore loaded the bases with a bunt single. Ryan McCrainer gave the Tigers the lead for good on an RBI single that scored Richards. Another A&T throwing error allowed Michael McHugh to score. The Tigers closed out their scoring Jonathan Moore hit into a double play, allowing McCrainer to score for a 6-2 lead.
SSU right-hand starter Austin Robinson (4-0) was effective after giving up two hits in the first inning. He went six innings and gave up a total of five hits while striking out three. Aggies starter, right-hand senior Brian Poag (0-3), only gave up two earned runs over six innings pitched.
The two teams will conclude their three-game series Sunday when they return to War Memorial Stadium for a 1 p.m., first pitch.
