CHARLOTTE, N.C. – North Carolina A&T softball won its first game of the season in the first game of Sunday's First Pitch Classic hosted by the University of North Carolina Charlotte at Sue M. Daughtridge Stadium with a 6-3 win over Rhode Island.
They lost their later game in the day, 5-0, to Morehead State.
The Aggies (1-5) were led by junior second baseman
Stephanie Williams who went 3-for-3 with a run scored and two RBI in the win over RIU. Sophomore catcher Nikki Varela went 2-for-4 with an RBI and sophomore third basemen
Desttany Parker and sophomore first basemen
Vivica Boyd each went 1-for-4 with a run scored and an RBI. Sophomore
Eternal Fuller added a hit and a run scored.
Freshman
Kayla Brown (1-0) recorded the win in the circle after pitching the final five innings of the game giving up two unearned runs on six hits with a strikeout.
The Aggies scored three runs in the top of the first inning for a 3-0 lead. Williams hit a one-out single through the left side which was complemented when junior designated player
Samantha Ramirez was hit by a pitch to put runners on first and second.
Parker singled down the right-field line and advanced to second on the throw to drive home Williams and move Ramirez to third for a 1-0 lead. Boyd hit a groundball to Cassie Swenson at second base who threw home to throw out Ramirez trying to score. But the throw allowed Parker to score from second and advanced Boyd to second.
Varela then singled through the right side to drive home Boyd for the three-run lead. Rhode Island (3-5) scored a run in the bottom half of the inning to cut the lead to 3-1 with an RBI single to left-center.
The Aggies scored two more runs in the second inning, however. Junior shortstop
Alyssa Smith was hit by a pitch to open the frame. She advanced to second a wild pitch to set up freshman
Latianna Langley's single through the right side to advance Smith to third.
After a Rhode Island pitching change, Smith scored on a throwing error to give N.C. A&T a 4-1 lead. Langley advanced to second on the play and later went to third when Fuller reached on a throwing error. Williams hit a sacrifice fly to left field to drive home Langley for a 5-1 lead. The Aggies had an opportunity to score more but stranded runners and second and third to end the inning.
The Aggies scored a run in the fourth inning to increase the lead to 6-1 after Williams doubled to center field to drive home Fuller who reached base after a bunt single to third.
Rhode Island scored the final two runs in the seventh inning after a throwing error that allowed two Rams to score to cut to the final deficit of three runs.
The Rams were led by Rachel Zingerman and Erika Yeager who both went 2-for-3.
In the second game against Morehead State, Fuller went 2-for-3 and Cutts and Smith each recorded a hit.
Kayla Douglas (0-2) picked up the loss pitching 3.1 innings giving up four runs on four hits. Brown gave up one unearned run on two hits in 2.2 innings.
Morehead State (2-1) scored a run in the bottom of the first inning after a rundown with a runner on first to record the final out, but the run scored before the final out was recorded. The Eagles scored three runs in the fourth inning to increase the lead to 4-0 after a two-run home run to left-center and a solo home run to right-center field. Morehead State scored the final run of the game in the sixth inning after an RBI single.
The Eagles were led by Adeline Nicholson going 3-for-3 with two runs scored and two RBI, Randi Hamilton (1-0) picked up the win pitching seven shutout innings giving up four hits.
The Aggies return home to host Winthrop Wednesday at 3 p.m. at Aggie Softball Complex.
