CHARLOTTE – The North Carolina A&T dropped a midweek road baseball contest to the Charlotte 49ers, 11-3, Wednesday night inside Hayes Stadium in non-conference action.
The 49ers (25-16) got things going in the home second inning.
Junior right-hander Trey Fields (L, 0-1) came on to relieve freshman Evan Demurias, who started the game for A&T (12-27).
He drew a fly out before walking the next two batters he faced. Will Butcher then hit a groundball toward freshman Sabin Roane at third base, but Roane couldn't handle it, loading the bases on the fielding error.
Fields struck the next batter out, but Nate Furman and David McCabe drew walks to bring home the game's first two runs, both unearned.
Charlotte did the majority of its damage in the fifth inning. The Niners put up a six-spot due largely to a three-run blast from Josh Madole to extend their advantage to 11-0.
In the seventh, A&T got on the board when freshman catcher Canyon Brown sent an opposite-field home run over the 49er bullpen in right field, scoring junior Anthony Hennings and sophomore Chet Sikes. The blast was the second of his career.
The excitement continued into the home half of the inning.
Cam Fisher took the first pitch he saw for a ride out to deep center field. By all accounts, the ball cleared the fence for a home run, and it did. But so did A&T sophomore center fielder TJ Ash, who propelled himself up off the wall with his left leg and used every inch of his glove to snag the ball out of the air. It was the second time he had robbed the Niners of a home run in the game.
The Aggies, unfortunately, could not turn that defensive excitement into offensive production, mustering just four hits on the night compared to Charlotte's 11.
That was due to a great start from Charlotte's Cameron Hanson (W, 3-2), who went five innings and only allowed three hits while striking out seven for his third win of the year.
Five 49ers had multi-hit games, led by Madole's 2-for-4 line, including a home run and four RBI.
Hennings, Brown, Seaton and Roane all recorded hits for the Aggies, with Brown's three-RBI shot in the sixth being the most notable.
