ELON (April 25, 2018) – In a losing effort, North Carolina A&T softball got some encouragement from the circle. Freshman Aggies right-hand pitcher Bayleigh Kirby had perhaps her best outing in N.C. A&T' 4-1 loss to Elon at Elon's Hunt Softball Park Wednesday night.
Kirby (0-6) went four innings giving up four earned runs, walking three and striking out one. It was the third time this season Kirby has gone three innings or more. Four runs are the fewest runs she has surrendered in those games showing the steady improvement of the first-year player from Mebane, N.C.
N.C. A&T (7-33) outhit the Phoenix 7-4 but left eight baserunners on. Senior Nathaly Pacheco went 2-for-2 and scored the Aggies lone run of the night. Junior Zadia Davis went 2-for-3 and drove in the Aggies only run of the game.
Elon (21-25) did get out to an early start on Kirby as Kara Shutt opened the Elon first with a double to left field. Hannah Olson followed with another double to give the Phoenix the early lead. An Aggies error followed by a sacrifice bunt from Elon put runners on second and third for the Phoenix. Ashtyn Foddrell then walked to load the bases for Katrina Martin who brought Olson home on a sac fly as she fouled out to third for a 2-0 lead.
The Aggies responded in the second and Kirby responded as well. Pacheco had a one-out double to left-center which was followed by an RBI double to left to cut the Phoenix's lead to 2-1. Kirby then came out in the Elon second and retired the Phoenix in order. Kirby also had a smooth third from the circle before walking Martin to open the fourth. Kristin Hoover made it a 3-1 game with an RBI double to score Martin.
Erica Serafini moved Hoover to third on a sac bunt. It appeared Kirby could pitch herself out of the inning without any more damage being done as she Tia Mitchell to pop out. But a wild pitch did allow Hoover to score for a 4-1 Elon advantage. Junior Mohagony Headen took over for Kirby in the fifth and retired every batter she faced over two innings.
In the fifth, the Aggies did bring the tying run to the plate, but the inning ended with a pop out. Kenna Quinn (6-7) got the win for Elon.
N.C. A&T will now prepare for a big three-game weekend series against rival N.C. Central at the Lady Aggies Softball Complex. The winner of the series will go to the MEAC tournament as the No. 4 seed out of the MEAC Southern Division while the loser will fail to qualify for the conference tourney.
The two teams will play a 1 p.m., doubleheader on Saturday before the series finale is played noon Sunday. Sunday will also mark Senior Day for the softball program.
