AUBURN, Ala. – A simple groundout ended North Carolina A&T's comeback hopes in the Aggies final game of the Jane B. Moore Memorial Tournament hosted by Auburn University.
Toledo pinch runner Emma Morgan scored on a Riley Mohr groundout to second in the home seventh to lead the Rockets to a 7-6 walk-off win over the Aggies at Jane B. Moore Field on Sunday.
After three innings, the Aggies (9-10) trailed 4-0.
Freshman Icess Tresvik started the Aggies comeback effort in the visitor's fourth with an RBI double to center field to drive home Jailyn Tineo to cut the Rockets lead to 4-1. Tresvik advanced to third base on a passed ball before sophomore Kayla Taylor walked.
Both runners eventually took off for the next base as Tresvik stole home to make it a 4-2 ballgame as Taylor made it to second safely.
Toledo added a run in the bottom half of the inning just as the Aggies looked as if they were going to escape a jam that had Rockets on second and third with no out.
A&T executed a double play leaving Lexi Eckman on third with two outs. But a wild pitch by freshman Joey Barkhimer allowed Eckman to score for a 5-2 Rocket advantage.
Freshman Jailyn Tineo helped the Aggies respond in a big way by hitting her first collegiate home run. The blast left the field over the left-center field fence to drive home sophomore Kendall Macauley and graduate Jazzmaine Hammond to tie the game at 5.
Tineo, the Aggies catcher, was called for obstruction as Madison Mikulski tried to score. The call gave the Rockets the lead back at 6-5.
But in the Aggies seventh, Tresvik hit her fourth home run of the tournament to tie the game at 6. Tresvik hit her sixth homer of the season, and for the tournament, she batted .429 (6-for-14) with five runs scored, a double, nine RBI and 19 total bases with a 1.357 slugging percentage over five games.
A&T had a chance to do more damage as sophomore Alyxx Estrada singled but was thrown out at second base, trying to stretch the base hit into a double. Taylor doubled to center field, but back-to-back strikeouts ended the Aggie threat.
Toledo started its seventh with a single to right field by Dayna Denner. Denner advanced to second on a throwing error before Morgan came in to pinch run.
The Aggies replaced Barkhimer in the circle with freshman Mariah Headen. Jenna Kroll then laid down a sacrifice bunt to move Moore to third. After a walk to Aubrey Reed, Mohr ended the game with her groundout.
.Tresvik went 3-for-4 with two runs scored and two RBI. Tineo scored twice and recorded three RBI. Barkhimer (5-1) picked up her first career loss after pitching six innings.
