CONWAY, S.C. – North Carolina A&T softball scored two runs in the eighth inning to defeat Dartmouth 5-4 on the first day of the Chanticleer Showdown at St. John Stadium Friday.

Dartmouth scored two runs in the second inning after a two-run RBI single to center field in the second inning, but the Aggies cut the lead in half after freshman Mariah Headen singled to drive home sophomore Kendall Macauley in the bottom half of the inning.

Freshman Jailyn Tineo tied the game at 2 after a single to center field to drive home Macauley in the fourth. The Big Green took the lead in the sixth inning after a passed ball scored a run for a 3-2 lead, but freshman Dezianna Patmon tied the game at 3 with a solo home run to left in the home half of the sixth.

Both teams were retired in order in the seventh to force extra innings.

With the international tiebreaker rule in place for the eighth inning, allowing both teams to have a runner on second to begin the inning, Dartmouth scored that runner after a sacrifice fly to take a 4-3 lead.

International rules placed freshman Icess Tresvik on second in the Aggies eighth. Patmon then walked before Tineo hit a one-out double down the left field line to drive home Tresvik to tie the game. Senior Jocelyn Bennett came into pinch hit for Vivica Boyd and hit a slow grounder to second base, where Billie McFadyen threw the ball home. But the throw was late to allow Patmon to score the winning run.

Tineo went 3-for-4 with two RBI. Macauley went 2-for-4 with two runs scored. Freshman Joey Barkhimer (3-0) pitched a complete game in the circle, giving up two earned runs on eight hits with five strikeouts.