GREENSBORO (May 8, 2016) – North Carolina A&T baseball earned its first season sweep of the season emphatically. The Aggies blew past Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference foe Savannah State 18-7 Sunday afternoon at War Memorial Stadium. The game ending in seven innings because of the MEAC's 10-run rule that states the game is over when a team is trailing by 10 runs or more in a MEAC contest.
N.C. A&T's was a nice gift for the Aggies two seniors who were honored on Sunday before their final game played at WMS. Ryan Jantsch and Lance Jensen, both transfers out of Ellsworth Community College two years ago, both contributed. Jensen went 2-for-4 with an RBI. Jantsch was 1-for-3 with two runs scored and an RBI.
Every player in the Aggies starting batting order scored a run on Sunday. Only one of those players failed to get a hit and seven starters had multiple hits. Adan Ordonez and Kyle Clary led the way. Ordonez went 4-for-4 with three runs scored and three RBI. Clary was 3-for-4 with three runs scored and four RBI. The Aggies (13-38, 6-15 MEAC) closed out the game by scoring five runs in the seventh inning to enforce the run rule against the Tigers (11-37, 6-15 MEAC).
N.C. A&T led 13-7 going into the seventh as they faced right-hand pitcher Gregory Smith II. After getting Myles Sowell to ground out, Smith walked Timothy Ravare on five pitches. Sophomore Milton Rivera took advantage by doubling to left field to put runners on second and third. Ordonez brought both men home with a two-run RBI single to increase the lead to 15-7. Clary made it 16-7 with a double to score Ordonez. Clary moved to third on a passed ball and Smith loaded the bases by walking Jensen and Jantsch.
Freshman James Rorie triggered the end of the ballgame with a single to right field to score Clary. Jensen came home on the same plate thanks to an error to end the game. The win was the Aggies most lopsided win since beating Savannah State 15-1 on March 22, 2014. The Aggies are also on their longest winning streak of the season – three games.
Left-hander Danny Garrett (2-2) picked up the win while SSU reliever Chris Hayes got the loss. N.C. A&T will close out the season over the weekend as they travel to Tallahassee, Fla., to face Florida A&M in a three-game series starting with a 1 p.m., Saturday doubleheader on May 14 and ending with a single game on May 15 at 1 p.m.
