BOILING SPRINGS, N.C. – The North Carolina A&T baseball team dropped both games of doubleheader Sunday afternoon at Gardner Webb's Bill Masters Field at John Henry Moss Stadium.
 
The Aggies lost a pair of close games, first against Delaware, 9-8, and then to Gardner-Webb, 11-8.
 
"It was a tough way to finish the weekend," said N.C. A&T coach Ben Hall. "We had a bunch of opportunities all day and just weren't able to consistently push runs across."
 
The Aggies (2-5) were down, 7-6, in the bottom of the eighth against Delaware (2-4). Senior Camden Williamson walked to lead off the inning before junior Alex Bibb laid down a bunt to advance him to second with one out.
 
Senior Shane Faulk entered the game to pinch run for Williamson and in a wild sequence scored from second base on a Zach McLean flyout to center field to tie the game at 7.
 
In the top of the ninth, Delaware center fielder Jordan Hutchins hit a two-out, two-run home run to right center to give the Fighting Blue Hens a 9-7 advantage. Aggie center fielder Donte Wade responded with a home run of his own in the bottom half, but the comeback attempt fell short.
 
Freshman Connor Knapp turned in another nice performance for N.C. A&T going 2-for-3 with an RBI and run scored. Senior Justin Fox pitched an impressive 1.2 innings in relief giving up one hit with no runs and two strikeouts in seven batters faced.
 
In the second game, GWU (5-2) started fast scoring two runs in the bottom of the first. N.C. A&T responded quickly, however, and tied the game at 2 in the top of the second. The Aggies plated two more runs in the top of the fourth and the Runnin' Bulldogs scored one in the bottom half to compile a 4-3 Aggie lead.
 
GWU scored three more runs the next inning to claim a 6-4 advantage. They took that lead into the seventh but N.C. A&T put together a three-run, two-hit inning to take the lead. Faulk smacked a leadoff single up the middle and advance to second on an Alex Reyna sacrifice bunt.
 
Faulk made it to third on a wild pitch before sophomore Donte Wade walked. Baber scored Faulk and moved Wade to third on an RBI double into the gap. Knapp followed with a groundout to score Wade and advance Baber to third with two outs. Baber was able to score on a wild pitch before McLean popped up to end the frame.
 
N.C. A&T added an insurance run in the top of the eighth, but GWU scored five runs in the bottom half to compile their 11-run outing.
 
Knapp put together another impressive game going 2-for-5 with three RBI and a run scored to complete an impressive weekend for the freshman. Faulk went 3-for-3 with two runs scored and two walks.
 
"I was happy with our competitive nature this weekend. We didn't quit and kept giving ourselves chances. We just have to get comfortable playing in tight, one-run games so we can execute better in big situations."
 
Next up, N.C. A&T will head to Chapel Hill, N.C. on Tuesday, Feb. 25 at 4 p.m. to take on the Tar Heels of North Carolina.