EAST GREENSBORO – North Carolina A&T's softball opener did not turn out as they hoped. The second game looked like a much better improvement, but it ended without a finish. 

In what was also Hampton's season opener, the Pirates defeated the Aggies 15-4 in six innings at the Lady Aggies Softball Complex. In Game 2, the game was suspended in the fourth inning due to a loss of daylight. The Lady Aggies Softball Complex does not have lights. 

When the game was suspended, the Aggies trailed the Pirates 9-5. Even though the statistics in the game will not count, the Aggie offense looked to beat heating up as snow fell from the sky. 
The Aggies spotted the Pirates a 6-0 lead in Game 2 before the Aggies started to chip away at it. It started in the first inning with Aggies on second and third. Sophomore Desttany Parker hit a two-out, two-run RBI single to right field to score sophomores Samantha Ramirez and Alisa Maldonado to make it a 6-2 game. 

Unfortunately, the Pirates added three runs in their half of the second thanks in part to a two-run homer by Kiaya Jeusi that gave the Pirates a 9-2 lead. N.C. A&T's offense was not phased. They posted three runs in the third inning despite two outs in the frame. 

A fielding error by the Pirates led to Nikki Varela and Parker to score to cut the Pirates lead to 9-4. Valera reached on a single and Parker walked. Sophomore pitcher Hailee Cutts kept the inning going with a single before Tivonia Cole followed with an RBI single that allowed Vivica Boyd, who reached on the error, to score. 

Pinch-runner Moriah Terry tried to score on the play as well but was thrown out at the plate to help Hampton preserve its 9-5 lead. 

In Hampton's half of the fourth, Cutts retired the first Pirates before giving up a walk. But Cutts recovered to get Jeusi to ground out to end the inning. Following the out, the umpires met with the two head coaches and decided to end the game as nightfall started to settle over the softball complex. 

The suspension will leave the Aggies at 0-1 after the Pirates (1-0) pulled away with five runs in the fifth and seven runs in the sixth. Even after the Pirates five-run fifth that gave them an 8-0 lead, the Aggies showed some fight. After being walked, Valera moved to second a wild pitch. Cole then laid down a sacrifice bunt. Instead of trying to throw out Cole, the Pirates went after the lead runner in Valera. 

An errant throw allowed Valera to reach third and eventually score. Cole went to third on the play and eventually scored to make it an 8-2 game. After a walk to Latianna Langley, Stephanie Williams doubled to left field to put runners on second and third. Ramirez then singled to center to score Langley. 

Williams scored on a throwing error to cut Hampton's lead in half at 8-4. The inning ended when Alyssa Smith popped out. Hampton would go on to score seven in the sixth to put the game away. 

Noelle Doan got the win the first game while Bayleigh Kirby (0-1) took the loss. Williams led the Aggies in Game 1 by going 2-for-3 with a run scored. Jeusi led the Pirates by going 3-for-3 with three RBI and three runs scored. 

The Aggies are back in action 4 p.m., Wednesday when they travel down the street to Elon University to face the Phoenix.