EAST GREENSBORO – North Carolina A&T used quick thinking to earn a victory in the second game of a Saturday softball doubleheader at the Lady Aggies Softball Complex against Florida A&M. The cerebral plays helped the Aggies win 4-2 in Game 2. Game 2 completed the sweep for the Aggies as they won Game 1, 8-3. N.C. A&T's Game 1 win marked the Aggies first win over the Rattlers in three years.
The Rattlers, a perennial power in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC), lost both games of a doubleheader to the Aggies for the first time since 2014. The Aggies (6-16, 6-0 MEAC) are now winners of six straight, their longest winning streak since winning seven straight in 2010.
N.C. A&T's sweep seemed in danger in the visitor's sixth inning. The Rattlers (0-14, 0-3 MEAC) were in the midst of rallying from a 3-0 deficit.
FAMU had already put two runs on the scoreboard to cut the Aggies lead to 3-2 with two outs and Rattlers pinch-runner Zaria Hall on first. Brandice Boatwright hit a groundball deep into the hole at shortstop. Aggies freshman shortstop made an incredible snag in the hole and threw a laser beam to first.
Aggies junior first baseman Vivica Boyd could not handle the throw, allowing Boatwright to reach base. With all the commotion at first base, Hall raced to third base. Boyd's throw to third skipped away from Aggies senior third baseman Alyssa Smith.
Seeing the ball escape from Smith, Hall sprinted home in an attempt to tie the game. But that's when freshman left fielder Kendall Macauley made the heads-up play of grabbing the ball and firing it home to Aggies junior catcher Nikki Varela. Macauley threw the ball on a rope as Varela applied the tag, preventing the Rattlers from tying the game.
In the Aggies sixth, the Aggies placed runners on first and second with one out as Varela and pinch-hitter Jocelyn Bennett reached on singles. N.C. A&T head coach Patti Raduenz put sophomore Latianna Langley in to pinch run for Varela, and junior Eternal Fuller ran for Bennett.
After sophomore Jai Deese flew out to left, Estrada hit a slow groundball to second. Rattlers second baseman Kaylin Rhone made the toss to second to try to force out Fuller. Fuller beat the throw, and Langley never stopped running when Estrada initially hit the ball.
As a result of Langley's heads-up play, the Aggies could add an insurance run as they went into the seventh with a 4-2 advantage.
N.C. A&T freshman starting pitcher Kiara Richards really didn't need the run. She mowed down the Rattlers in order in the seventh to improve to 3-5 on the season. Richards pitched a complete game, giving up four hits, two runs, none earned, and striking out four.
Rattlers starter Nadia Zenteno (0-5) went six innings, giving up five hits, seven walks, four runs, one earned and striking out two.
The first game saw freshman N.C. A&T starter S'Nyiah Stinson (3-5) earn the win after giving up three runs, two earned, and striking out six. Boatwright (0-6) took the loss.
Offensively, Deese, Estrada, senior Stephanie Williams, Macauley and Bennett led the Aggies with two hits apiece. Deese and Estrada scored twice, and Estrada and Williams drove in two runs apiece. Estrada has now reached base safely in 13 straight games.
N.C. A&T took an early lead in Game 1, thanks to two first-inning doubles. Deese hit a lead-off double, moved to third on a wild pitch, and eventually scored on an Estrada groundout. Senior Samantha Ramirez then doubled. Stinson pinch ran for her and scored on an RBI single from Macauley.
But the Aggies big inning came in the third as they posted four runs. Another Deese lead-off double was the catalyst. The Aggies added two more runs in the fourth to take an 8-0 lead.
They were on the brink of ending the game in five innings because of the run-rule, but the Rattlers posted two runs in the fifth and one more in the sixth. In the seventh, the Rattlers got the leadoff runner on, but Stinson then retired the next three Rattlers to give the Aggies the win.
The two teams play two more games on Sunday, starting at 11 a.m., at the Lady Aggies Softball Complex.
