RICHMOND, Va. – North Carolina A&T dropped both games of a Friday baseball doubleheader against the Monmouth Hawks 10-6 and the VCU Rams 9-6 inside The Diamond in non-conference action.
The two losses dropped A&T to 6-9 on the season.
Game 1
Junior lefty Daniel Carter (L, 2-2) got the start in the first game against the Hawks but only gave the Aggies three innings of work. In that time, the Hawks scored seven runs on five hits. They got their scoring going right away in the bottom of the first.
The Hawks began the game with three straight hits, including back-to-back doubles from Dixon Black and Alex Barker. Barker hit a two-RBI two-bagger to score Black and Casey Coufield, who had opened up the game with a single.
Another hit in the frame coupled with two walks added another pair of runs to the Hawks total and extended their lead to 4-0 after the first.
A&T got one back in the third. Junior Cameran Brantley slapped a two-out double down the right field line before junior Cort Maynard reversed field and doubled down the left field line to score Brantley.
Monmouth broke the game open, however, in the bottom of the fourth when they scored five runs, highlighted by a grand slam from James Harmstead, jolting the Hawks to 9-1.
Trailing 10-2 in the eighth, the Aggies offered an attempt at a comeback, plating four runs to pull to within four before coming up short.
Maynard led the way offensively for A&T with his 3-for-3 performance that included the RBI double and a solo home run.
Game 2
The Aggies took the momentum from the end of Game 1 into their contest with the Rams.
Junior left-hander Peyton Winebarger started the game. He got some nice run support from his offense early, with A&T scoring three runs in the second inning.
Sophomore Camden Jackson led off the frame with a single. After junior Anthony Henning struck out, sophomore Alex Reyna drew a walk to put runners on first and second. Graduate Alec Seaton then roped a double down the left field line to score both runners for a 2-0 Aggies lead.
Seaton advanced to third on a passed ball before sophomore TJ Ash cashed him in on an RBI sacrifice fly to center field, putting the Aggies ahead 3-0 after two. Maynard added to the lead in the third with a one-out solo home run, his second of the day.
The Rams scored three in the home half, part of a two-hit frame that included an error on A&T's part.
Seaton smacked his second double of the day to right center in the fourth. Seaton eventually scored on a wild pitch after moving to third on an Ash groundout to give the Aggies a 5-3 advantage.
In the sixth, the Aggies extended their lead to 6-3 when Hennings launched a fly ball deep enough into center field to score Maynard on an RBI sac fly.
The Rams began the rally in the fifth as all-conference infielder Tyler Locklear drew a two-out walk. Logan Amiss followed with a double to put two runners in scoring position. Locklear then scored on a wild pitch before Connor Hujsak grounded out to end the frame.
In the sixth, A&T sophomore right-hander Logan Jarosz came on in relief. After going five innings, Winebarger allowed four runs on five hits with five strikeouts.
The Rams took advantage of the pitching change, putting together a three-hit, three-run frame coupled with another error from the Aggies to take a 7-6 lead. VCU received two big insurance runs in the home eighth to make it 9-6.
Seaton led the way for A&T in Game 2, going 2-for-4 with two RBI and two runs scored. For the Rams, Cooper Benzin turned in a team-high three hits.
