EAST GREENSBORO – The North Carolina A&T baseball team clinched its second straight win and improved to 2-0 at home after defeating Fairfield, 8-2, on Saturday evening inside historic War Memorial Stadium.
 
"Tough day of baseball with the cold temperatures and wind," said N.C. A&T coach Ben Hall. "Proud of the way the guys were able to stay focused despite the conditions."
 
It was the same old story for the Aggies pitching rotation spearheaded by junior lefty Ethan Chavis. The southpaw went 7.0 innings allowing one run on just four hits with a season-high nine strikeouts.
 
"Ethan was special tonight," said Hall. "In those conditions to have all three pitches. He really competed in the zone."
 
Senior right-hander Leon Davidson and freshman left-hander Justin O'Neal helped the Aggies pitching staff collect 12 strikeouts. 
 
Fairfield (0-5) got on the board first in the top of the second with a sacrifice fly from left fielder Giacomo Brancato that scored a run. 
 
N.C. A&T (4-6) responded in the bottom half with a run of their own when senior catcher Ryne Stanley knocked a sacrifice fly into center field and scored junior Alex Bibb from third.
 
Junior third baseman Justin Williams sliced an RBI double into left center in the bottom of the fourth to put the Aggies up 2-1. Williams went 3-for-3 with two RBI, a run scored and a walk. In the fifth, N.C. A&T tacked on a pair of runs and grew the lead to three, 4-1. 
 
Senior right fielder Camden Williamson extended his hitting streak to nine games with an RBI single in the frame.
 
The Aggies blew the game open in the bottom of the eighth, putting up four runs on four hits and two Stag errors to make it 8-1. Fairfield mustered one run in the top of the ninth before O'Neal finished them off.
 
"This was our most complete game we've played to this point," said Hall. "It's a good sign as we keep working to get better every day."
 
The Aggies will have the day off tomorrow before they take on the Boston College Eagles on Monday, March 2 at 4 p.m. at War Memorial Stadium.  N.C. A&T defeated BC on Friday, 2-1, behind some stellar pitching.