CHARLESTON, S.C. – North Carolina A&T lost to Charleston Southern, 7-4, on Saturday afternoon at Nielsen Field in Big South Conference baseball action. 

The Aggies (10-16, 0-5) are still looking for their first league win. Meanwhile the Buccaneers improved to 12-17 overall and 4-4 in conference. 

"Thought the guys responded well from yesterday's loss," said A&T coach Ben Hall. "Jaheim (Brown) gave us a good start, and we played better defense. We got a big hit to tie the game in the middle innings, we just aren't sustaining near enough offense to win." 

Brown (L, 1-3), a freshman right-hander, got the start on the mound for A&T and worked quickly through the first inning, retiring the Bucs in order and ending the frame with a strikeout. 

Graduate infielder Alec Seaton picked up the Aggies first hit of the game with a two-out single to left field in the second, which came after Bucs starter Jerry Couch hit Canyon Brown with a pitch. But sophomore designated hitter Chet Sikes would strike out to strand runners on first and second. 

The Bucs struck first in the home the second on a three-run blast off the bat of Austen Izzio to claim a 3-0 advantage. They led by as many as four after adding another run in the fifth. 

The Aggies found some offense in the sixth. Junior infielder Anthony Hennings led the frame with a single up the middle, one of his three hits on the day. Hennings stole second with one out. Brown followed by putting runners on the corners with a single through the left side.  

But with two out, Seaton reached on a throwing error from Bucs third baseman Ryan Waldschmidt that scored Hennings. Then, Sikes stepped to the plate and scorched a line drive over the wall in left center field, tying the game at 4. 

"We have really missed Chet," said Hall. "He is close to being fully cleared for throwing. So good to see him come back and give us some good at-bats. Look forward to getting him back behind the dish going forward." 

Charleston So. responded in the home half, however. The Bucs plated three two-out runs of their own to retake the lead, 7-4. With two outs in the sixth and Waldschmidt at second thanks to a double, the Aggies replaced Jaheim Brown with sophomore Isaiah Brewington. 

Peyton Mills doubled to score Waldschmidt. Brewington then walked Izzio before Peyton Balser roped a single to right field that brought Mills around to score, leaving runners at the corner. Brewington would balk following that, enabling Izzio to advance home from third for the Bucs seventh run.  

Sikes and Hennings each had a team-high three hits.