EAST GREENSBORO – On the shoulders of a season-high 17 hits, the North Carolina A&T picked up its first baseball win of the 2022 campaign, besting the University of Massachusetts-Lowell, 14-4, inside historic War Memorial Stadium on Friday evening.
A&T's 17 hits are the most since they had 17 in a 13-1 win over Alabama A&M on April 21, 2018. In addition, the Aggies 14 runs are the most since last year's 16-7 win over Coppin State on April 16.
"You just want to break the ice," said A&T coach Ben Hall on A&T getting its first win. "You know you've got a team that can win, and it's so early. Nothing's guaranteed, and you have to go out and play great baseball, and that's what we did. That was obviously our most complete game."
A&T received an excellent start from junior left-hander Daniel Carter (W, 1-1). Going into the fifth inning, Carter had held the River Hawks (0-4) hitless while striking out three. It allowed the A&T bats time to heat up.
Junior infielder Cort Maynard hit a one-out single into left-center in the third. Sophomore outfielder Cam Jackson followed with another single that put runners on the corners. Fellow sophomore Xavier Bussey smacked a single right back up the middle to score Maynard and put A&T up 1-0.
After the first two batters were retired in the A&T fourth, the Aggies did major damage. Freshman Canyon Brown drew a walk to turn the lineup back over. Junior Cameran Brantley stepped then singled down the left field line. An errant throw allowed both runners to advance 90 feet into scoring position, with Maynard coming to the plate.
UMass-Lowell senior Josh Becker's fastball launched off Maynard's bat and missed going over the wall in right center by inches. Brown and Brantley scored on the two-run double, giving the Aggies a 3-0 lead.
A&T was able to add two more runs in the frame courtesy of a fielding error and a wild pitch. A&T added another run onto their advantage in the home fifth on a two-out single from Canyon Brown to score graduate infielder Alec Seaton as 12 of the Aggies 14 runs came with two outs on Friday.
"It's like I told the guys, we just have to keep taking the right at-bats," said Hall. "We're not taking bad at-bats; it's just in some situations the last few games, we just haven't come through, and again, I think it was guys just pressing. Tonight, there was a different calmness to the at-bats. I never felt like guys were over-pressing to do something big in certain at-bats; we just kept taking good ones."
The River Hawks would find some life offensively in the sixth. Freshman Jacob Humphrey's solo home run was a part of a three-run inning for UMass-Lowell to cut A&T's lead to 6-3. The Aggies responded significantly in the home half of the sixth.
Jackson drew a lead-off walk before Bussey and Tyshawn Barrett struck out. Junior Anthony Hennings drew another walk, and Seaton took advantage of center fielder Gerry Siracusa playing shallowly and smacked a double to the wall, bringing in two runs.
Sophomore TJ Ash drew the third walk of the inning while Seaton snuck over to third, bringing Canyon Brown to the plate. Brown came through again, doubling down the left field line and emptying the bases. The Red Hawks threw out Brown, trying to stretch his hit into a triple to end the inning, but the Aggies still claimed a 10-3 lead.
Brown finished his day 3-for-4 with a double, four RBI and two runs scored. He was one of three Aggies with three-or-more hits in the game.
After relieving Carter in the seventh, Freshman Jaheim Brown earned his first career save (S, 1). Brown pitched three innings, giving up one run, one hit and striking out three. In the eighth, the Aggies added four more runs, highlighted by a two-run mammoth home run from Brantley that nearly made its way to East Lindsay Street.
Brantley finished the game 4-for-5, with the home run, two RBI and two runs scored. Seaton also contributed a 3-for-5 line that included a double, two RBI and two runs scored. Eight of the nine Aggies in the lineup registered a hit on Friday.
With inclement weather expected on Sunday, officials have decided to play a doubleheader tomorrow beginning at 1 p.m. inside War Memorial Stadium.
