GREENSBORO – North Carolina A&T came up short of earning its first sweep of the season as Iona won the final game of its three-games series with the Aggies, 7-3, at War Memorial Stadium on Sunday. But the despite the loss, the Aggies had another good day at the plate, junior Will Greene had his second straight strong start and they may have found another effective pitcher out of their bullpen.
Plus the Aggies took two out of three to improve to 3-8. “We were close this time with a team that is still growing and continuing to get better,” said N.C. A&T head coach Ben Hall. “We can learn from this so when we have this opportunity again we can get it done.”
N.C. A&T's offense recorded 44 hits over the three-game set including 11 on Sunday. Six different Aggies posted at least five hits in the series led by junior Timothy Ravare's seven anchored by his 3-for-4 performance on Sunday.
The Aggies also hit six home runs in the series including two grand slams. Freshman Dawnoven Smith continued the trend on Sunday by hitting his first career home run. Sophomores Myles Sowell and Forest Kimbrell both went 2-for-4 with an RBI apiece.
Coming off his solid outing against Gardner-Webb on Wednesday where he gave up one run (unearned) and struck out seven over six innings, Greene did not give up his first hit on Sunday until there were two outs in the fifth inning. It unfortunately was a solo home run by Matt Byrne that gave the Gaels (1-6) a 3-2 lead. The other two runs the Gaels scored off Greene came on a dropped fly ball in the first inning that allowed two runs to score.
Greene, however, was on a shorter pitch count because he was operating on four days of rest. The Gaels were able to take advantage of the N.C. A&T relievers at the outset in the sixth inning. After scoring two runs to take a 5-2 lead off the first two relievers, the Aggies turned to RHP B Smith with one out and the bases loaded.
It looked as if Smith had stepped in and ended any further damage from being done as Fran Kinsey hit a double play ball to second. Ravare turned and threw out Joseph Lovecchio going to second but the relay throw got away from Kyle Clary at first allowing two more runs to score for a 7-2 Iona lead.
Smith ended the sixth by striking out Byrne. He then retired the Gaels in order in the seventh and eighth before giving up a leadoff walk in the ninth. But the Gaels went down in order after the walk as Smith pitched 3.2 innings without giving up a run or hit.
Patrick Ryan (1-0) got the win for the Gaels as he gave up two runs (one earned), walked two and struck out five in 103 pitches thrown over six innings. Greene (0-3) got the loss despite putting together his second straight strong outing. N.C. A&T will return to WMS to face East Tennessee State Tuesday afternoon at 3.
