EAST GREENSBORO – North Carolina A&T has played in multiple close softball games this season.
That was not the case on Tuesday at the Lady Aggies Softball Complex. Instead, the Aggies smashed two three-run home runs and had a three-run pinch-hit triple on their way to cruising past their archrivals North Carolina Central University (NCCU), 13-0 in five innings.
The Aggies (8-6) came into Tuesday afternoon's tilt with the Eagles having played six one-run games and four extra-inning contests.
But the Aggies started distancing themselves from NCCU early. Graduate
Jazzmaine Hammond led off the Aggies first by reaching third on a single, a stolen base and a wild pitch. Then, sophomore
Kendall Macauley drove her home with a sharp groundball to shortstop that Jaden Davis mishandled, allowing Macauley to reach.
A walk to sophomore
Alyxx Estrada set up the first big bash of the day from an A&T bat. Freshman
Dezianna Patmon took a 1-1pitch from NCCU starter Ashanti Eubanks and launched high into the Greensboro sky and well over the left-field fence for a three-run homer. Patmon's team-leading third home run gave the Aggies a 4-0 lead.
"I just wanted to put the ball in play because I knew I had runners in scoring position," said Patmon. "First pitch … ball. The next one was a little close, but it was called a strike. I was like, I'm not going to let her get another on me. That pitch came right down the middle, and I saw it."
The Aggies scored another run in their third on an RBI single from freshman
Icess Tresvik before breaking the game open in the fourth. A&T put together an eight-run inning, with all eight runs coming with two outs.
After the Eagles (2-12) secured two outs on a caught stealing and catching Macauley in a run down. It left the Aggies with Estrada on second after she singled and advanced on the rundown. Eubanks then walked Patmon and gave up a single to Tresvik to load the bases for freshman pinch-hitter
Jailyn Tineo.
Tineo, the reigning Big South Conference freshman of the week, came through in the clutch again. She roped a three-run triple to left-center to clear the bases and give the Aggies an 8-0 lead.
After the Aggies loaded the bases again with walks to seniors
Desttany Parker and
Vivica Boyd, sophomore
Kayla Taylor hit a two-run pinch-hit single to score Tineo and Parker. It was then Hammond's turn to bash a pitch. She hit a rocket launcher over the center-field fence for a three-run shot.
"I wanted to work on hitting with runners in scoring position," said Hammond. "So, I really locked in and said, 'I'm going to drive this ball somewhere hard.' And it ended up going over the gate."
The game ended on the run-rule after freshman
Amaya Kearse entered the circle and pitched a scoreless, hitless fifth. Freshman
Joey Barkhimer (4-0) got the start and pitched a three-hitter over four innings. Eubanks took the loss.
Three Aggies had three-RBI games in Hammond, Patmon and Tineo. Hammond also had two hits and scored twice. Estrada went 2-for-3 with a triple and scored three times. Tresvik had a 2-for-3 afternoon with a run scored and an RBI.
"I know that they're our rivals, and I knew we had to come out and show out. And that's exactly what we did. We played Aggies softball," said Patmon.
A&T's 13 runs marked a season-high. The Aggies have played 12 of their first 14 games at home. They have taken advantage of their home field by going 8-4. The Aggies return home Wednesday, March 9, for a noon doubleheader against Detroit Mercy.
