BOILING SPRINGS, N.C. – The North Carolina A&T baseball team split Saturday's doubleheader at Gardner-Webb's Bill Masters Filed at John Henry Moss Stadium.
 
The Aggies with a loss to Delaware, 4-1, in Game 1 before bouncing back win against host Gardner-Webb, 4-2, in the second game.
 
"I'm happy with our competitive nature today," said N.C. A&T coach Ben Hall. "I thought our starting pitching was excellent and continues to give us a great chance to win."
 
In the first game against Delaware, the Aggies (2-3) mustered four hits led by junior designated hitter (DH) Alex Bibb's 2-for-3 performance.
 
Delaware got the scoring going in the first inning, orchestrating a two-run, three-hit frame. The Fighting Blue Hens carried that 2-0 advantage into the fourth, but the Aggies got a run back on a Camden Williamson homer to right center, the Aggies first home run of the season.
 
The score remained 2-1 heading into the top of the ninth where the Blue Hens (1-4) plated two big insurance runs to make it 4-1. Delaware was led by catcher Jack Goan and Aidan Riley who both went 2-for-4 with two RBI.
 
Starting pitcher Joey Silan earned the win for the Blue Hens after going 7.2 innings giving up just four hits and one run. Senior RHP Michael Johnson got the loss for A&T but went seven innings giving up eight hits and two runs, both unearned, and two strikeouts.
 
"In the first game, I thought Michael (Johnson) was great again, but we just never really threatened offensively," said Hall. "It hurts to see him take a tough loss like that when he's pitching well enough to win."
 
The Aggies got the bats going in the second game with 10 hits against future Big South foe Gardner-Webb (4-2). With the game tied in the top of the ninth, A&T orchestrated a two-run inning to take a 4-2 lead.
 
Freshman infielder Connor Knapp pinch hit for Justin Williams and singled through the right side to score Ryne Stanley from second base and give the Aggies a 3-2 lead. It was Knapp's first collegiate hit. Freshman Alex Reyna followed with a single to advance Knapp to second before senior shortstop Dustin Baber singled through the left side to score Knapp and push the lead to 4-2.
 
"We kept giving ourselves opportunities," said Hall. "It was great to see Connor (Knapp) come off the bench with a big game-winning hit."
 
Baber led the Aggies offensively with a 3-for-5 performance with an RBI and run scored. Justin Rodriguez went 1-for-3 with a triple, the first of the season for A&T.
 
Junior Evan Gates came in in relief and slammed the door on the Runnin' Bulldogs pitching 2.0 innings and allowing no runs, no hits and striking out four to earn his first win of the season.
 
The Aggies will play another doubleheader tomorrow. They will take on Delaware at 10 a.m. and Gardner-Webb at 1:30 p.m.