DURHAM, N.C. – The North Carolina A&T Aggies split a Sunday baseball doubleheader against North Carolina Central (NCCU) at the Durham Athletic Park in Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) play.

The Aggies dropped the first game 12-6 before bouncing back to win Game 2, 12-7.

A&T improved to 9-23 overall and 4-8 in the MEAC.

The long ball was the difference-maker in both games. The Aggies trailed 8-6 in the first game before NCCU's Cort Maynard launched a grand slam over the right field wall. 

In the second game, A&T clung to an 8-7 lead in the sixth inning when sophomore second baseman Tony Mack tattooed a grand slam down the right-field line to provide the Aggies a comfortable lead. 

Mack went 2-for-3 with four RBI and two runs scored in Game 2.

Game 2 saw the Aggies jump out to a quick 8-1 lead after two innings. Mack led off with a single, and Justin Rodriguez laced a one-out homer over the wall to put the Aggies up 2-0. A&T kept their momentum going with a two-out walk to senior Dustin Baber and a single by junior Zach McLean. 

Senior outfielder Camden Williamson then got a pitch he liked and sent it out of the park to complete a four-hit, five-run first inning.  

"We came out offensively and set a great tone," said head coach Ben Hall. "Proud we didn't quit after Game 1 and continued to battle." 

Senior right-hander Evan Gates started on the bump for A&T in the second game and held NCCU to one run through four innings, but the Eagles responded with a six-run spot fifth inning that featured six hits coupled with an error from A&T that got them back in the game at 8-7.

  "Really disappointed in the fifth inning," said Hall. "Defensive mistakes and (Evan) Gates just wasn't able to execute as he had early in the game, but the guys didn't quit. Peyton Winebarger stepped up huge in relief, and Tony Mack had the big hit we needed to settle the game down in our favor." 

Winebarger (W, 2-1) went 3.0 innings, allowing only two hits with three strikeouts to shut down the Eagles bats. 

In Game 1, the Aggies found themselves down 8-0 after the first two innings. They responded with five runs of their own in the third, highlighted by a three-run homer from Williams. Williams and Williamson each had a home run apiece in both games on Sunday.     

"We weren't able to get off to a quality start and made some mistakes defensively that got us in a huge hole," said Hall. "Offensively, we battled back but just couldn't fully recover from six runs in the first." 

The Aggies will take on the Wolfpack of N.C. State on Wednesday, April 14 at 6 p.m. in Raleigh, N.C.