COLUMBIA, SC – Freshman pitcher Megan Ellis held off a UNC Wilmington in the sixth and shutdown the Seahawks in the seventh to lead the North Carolina A&T Aggies to a 4-3 non-conference win over the Seahawks Sunday afternoon during the final day of the University of South Carolina's Gamecock Classic at Carolina Softball Stadium.
The Aggies earned their first win of the classic, to go 1-3 over the weekend while improving to 3-14 overall. Another freshman, Sierra Baldwin, led the Aggies by going 2-for-4 with two runs scored. In addition, freshman Makayla Layton drove in two runs for A&T, and graduate Jai Deese went 2-for-4 and scored a run.
The teams entered the bottom of the sixth leading 4-1 after A&T graduate Jocelyn Bennett hit an RBI single up the middle in the visitor's half of the sixth. But an A&T single and an error allowed UNCW's Skylar Stockton to reach second to open the home sixth. Stockton stole third and went home on an RBI bunt single by Tayler Vitola, who moved to second on a throwing error during the play.
A sacrifice bunt from Arial Pearce moved Vitola to third, setting up an RBI groundout by Mary Sobataka to score Vitola to cut A&T's lead to 4-3. However, Baldwin did earn a two-out single in the Aggies seventh before Deese's groundout to shortstop ended the inning, sending Ellis and the Aggies clinging to only a one-run lead.
But Ellis was not intimated by the situation. It took her only 12 pitches to dispatch the Seahawks in the seventh to earn her first career win in the circle. Janel Gamache (1-3) lost despite going five innings and striking out seven. Gamache had three shutout innings against A&T, and UNCW held a 1-0 lead before the Aggies offense started cranking.
Sophomore Dezianna Patmon led off the Aggies fourth with a double. Baldwin reached on an error, moving Patmon to third. But Patmon was thrown out at home on a Deese bunt single as Baldwin advanced to second. Bennett moved both runners into scoring position with a sac bunt before Kayla Taylor walked to load the bases.
Layton hit a two-run RBI double to left center, scoring Baldwin and Deese to give the Aggies a 2-1 lead. Taylor later scored on a catcher's obstruction to provide the Aggies with a 3-1 lead before extending their lead in the sixth. Ellis pitched a complete-game three-hitter, striking out one and walking one. She threw only 74 pitches.
A&T had to cancel its season-opening tournament at the Lady Aggies Softball Complex. Therefore, the Aggies will finally play their home opener when they host Detroit Mercy for a noon doubleheader on Wednesday, March 8.
