EAST GREENSBORO – The North Carolina A&T Aggies bounced back in a big way in Sunday's series finale against North Carolina Central, beating the Eagles, 9-4, to salvage the series tie at War Memorial Stadium in Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) baseball. 

A&T improves to 17-29 overall and even their conference record at 12-12.

Junior left-hander Ethan Chavis (1-3) provided A&T with his best start of the year, going 6.0 innings and allowing just two hits with five strikeouts to get the win. 

  "The guys brought the right mentality to the yard today," said A&T coach Ben Hall. "Ethan came up big with a great start. He stepped up when the team needed him most."

The Aggies enjoyed a 7-1 lead in the eighth inning, but NCCU would not go away quietly. The Eagles (18-17, 10-10) put together a three-run, three-hit inning, highlighted by junior Cameron Norgren's three-run homer to right field. 

A&T, however, picked up two massive runs in the bottom half of the eighth to push their lead back to five. 

Eagles pitcher Scott Meylan plunked sophomore Cameran Brantley with a pitch to lead off the inning. Junior Justin Rodriguez laid down a beautiful sacrifice bunt to move Brantley to second. Junior Justin Williams followed with a double down the left field line, bringing Brantley around third to score. 

The Eagles made a pitching change, replacing Meylan with Brenton Fisher. Senior Dustin Baber responded with a lined shot to left for an RBI single to score Williams to give the Aggies a 9-4 advantage. 

"Offensively, we scored in a bunch of ways and put runs up in all but two innings," said Hall. "We got the run-and-bunt game going, and those two rebound runs in the eighth were big." 

Senior closer Evan Gates (Save, 4), who had entered the game in the seventh in relief, slammed the door on the Eagles in the ninth with three strikeouts. He pitched 3.0 innings of work and allowed four runs, three earned, on seven hits with seven strikeouts. 

Rodriguez, Williams and reigning MEAC player of the week Zach McLean each went 2-for-4 in the game offensively, with Williams and Rodriguez also tallying an RBI apiece. Sophomore Tony Mack and senior Ryne Stanley had a team-high two RBI apiece. Senior Camden Williamson drew three walks throughout the game. 

"We've got a lot to play for here in these last couple weeks," said Hall. "Every game is huge and requires our best mindset." 

A&T will make the southward trek down to Tallahassee, Fla., for a four-game set against the Rattlers of Florida A&M starting 5 p.m., Friday. The series could determine who will earn a spot in the MEAC postseason tournament.