CHARLESTON, S.C. – Two three-run home runs from sophomore Camden Jackson were not enough as North Carolina A&T baseball fell to the Charleston Southern Buccaneers, 13-8, in the first game of the Big South Conference weekend series on Friday night at Nielson Field. 

For the second straight game, Jackson's first three-run shot came in the first inning.  

Junior outfielder Cameran Brantley led off the game with a single before junior infielder Cort Maynard reached on an error by Bucs first baseman Austen Izzio. After junior Anthony Hennings grounded out, Jackson stepped up to the plate and torched a ball over the right field wall to put the Aggies (10-15, 0-4 Big South) up 3-0 early. 

CSU (11-17, 3-5) got on the board in the home second when junior Ajay Sczepkowski drilled a two-run homer over the fence, cutting the Aggies lead to one, 3-2.  They carried that momentum into the third, scoring six runs on six hits coupled with an error. 

Junior left-hander Daniel Carter got the start for A&T on the mound, but was only able to go 2.1 innings allowing seven runs, six earned, on seven hits before he departed. Four of the Bucs six hits in the third went for extra bases, including a double from Sczepkowski that scored the fourth run of the inning to make it 6-3.  

Peyton Mills singled up the middle with Sczepkowski on third to make it 8-3 before a fielder's choice at second base finally ended the frame. 

It was too late, however, as the Bucs bats had already heated up. They continued to plate runs, scoring five more in the fourth. The frame was highlighted by a three-run shot from Mills as CSU took a 13-3 lead after four. 

The Aggies made a respectable effort at a comeback beginning in the eighth. 

Maynard reached on yet another error, this one from Sczepkowski at shortstop, to lead off the inning. Hennings followed with a double before back-to-back strikeouts. Lucky, two-out production has been something A&T has excelled at in 2022.

 Sophomore TJ Ash roped a two-out opposite field single down the left field line, scoring Maynard and moving Hennings to third. Then, sophomore Chet Sikes, who made his return after about a month away due to injury, singled to center field to score Hennings, making it 13-5. 

Jackson obliterated another three-run bomb in the ninth inning, but it was not enough as the Aggies could not complete the rally effort. Jackson finished with his two homers and a game-high six RBI. He was the only A&T batter with more than one hit. 

Sczepkowski and Mills stepped up in a big way for the Bucs, each recording three hits apiece and combining for seven RBI.