EAST GREENSBORO – North Carolina A&T senior Bayleigh Kirby looked like she had fully bounced back from a disappointing just one day ago. Kirby pitched magnificently through five innings Sunday afternoon at the Lady Aggies Softball Complex during the second game of a doubleheader against Presbyterian College (PC).
Then she ran into a significant roadblock in the sixth inning as the Blue Hose went on to win Game 2, 8-0 in six innings. The Blue Hose won the first game, 6-1.
N.C. A&T dropped to 0-4 on the season, and the Blue Hose improved to 4-0.
Kirby got the start in Game 1 on Saturday at the LASC against Georgia State. She gave up six runs, all earned, and did not record an out.
Sunday, she started marching toward redemption. She opened the game by striking out Layna Johnson. She then got Kaitlyn Tucker to ground out before walking Kiley Kross. She ended the first inning with vigor by striking out Blue Hose power hitter Jillian Hewes.
Kirby did surrender a run on an RBI sacrifice fly to Courtney White in the second but settled in from there, retiring the next nine batters to keep the game close at 1-0 through four innings.
Within those nine straight retirements, Kirby struck out four. Her streak ended when Jaiden Tweed walked to open the fifth. Kirby then walked Katelyn Petty to put runners at first and second with no outs. Kirby once again showed poise. The following two batters struck out swinging. After walking Johnson to load the bases, she got Tucker to ground out to third to end the inning and keep the game at 1-0.
But the sixth inning did not go well for the Aggies. Kross opened the inning with a home run to left field followed by a double from Hewes. Kirby walked White and Tweed to load the bases. The Aggies got an out as Petty reached on a fielder's choice, and Tweed was forced out going to second.
Grace Wallace then walked to force in a run before Bailey Watkins hit a big two-run RBI single to give the Blue Hose a 5-0 lead. After Kirby walked Johnson to reload the bases, the Aggies replaced Kirby with Sharla Kirkpatrick after Kirby pitched so well before the sixth inning.
The Blue Hose scored three more runs in the inning as the Aggies entered their half of the sixth, needing a run to prevent from being run-ruled. Senior Samantha Ramirez did get a two-out single, but the game ended when PC starter Haley Haselden struck out Kayla Taylor.
Kirby (0-2) took the loss despite striking out eight. Haselden (2-0) got the as she pitched a five-hitter, striking out eight.
Sophomore Jai Deese went 2-for-3 in the second game and 2-for-3 in the first game with a run scored. PC's Jenna Greene (2-0) got the win after striking out 13. Freshman S'Niyah Stinson (0-2) took the loss.
PC scored on an RBI double from Tucker and a wild pitch in the first to take a 2-0 lead. Hewes homered in the third for a 3-0, and the Blue Hose added two more runs in the fourth thanks to an RBI double from Johnson and an RBI single from Tucker.
N.C. A&T will look to bounce back on Wednesday as the host Elon at the LASC on Wednesday, Feb. 24, at 3 p.m.
