EAST GREENSBORO – The North Carolina A&T softball team won its home opener on Wednesday, 3-1, in the first game of a doubleheader played at the Lady Aggies Softball Complex against Detroit Mercy. The Aggies lost the second game, 4-2, to the Titans.
The Aggies had their home opener scheduled for Feb. 10 as a part of a tournament they were hosting. However, officials canceled the tournament in anticipation of inclement weather, leaving the Aggies to wait until Wednesday to play at home for the first time during the 2023 season.
A&T gave the home fans a strong pitching performance on Tuesday. Sophomore Joey Barkhimer and senior Kayla Douglas combined for a three-hitter against the Titans. Barkhimer got the start and went 2 1/3 innings before, giving up two and two walks and striking out one. Douglas came on in the third with one out, and the bases loaded and pitched the Aggies out of the inning without the Titans scoring a run.
Douglas pitched her way out of a bases-loaded jam in the fourth before giving up an unearned run on an A&T fielding error after surrendering a one-out double in the fifth. Douglas (W, 1-6), however, settled in and retired the Titans in order in the sixth and the seventh to earn her first career win.
The Aggies offense got into gear when junior Alyxx Estrada singled, and sophomore Dezianna Patmon doubled to put runners at second and third to start the third. Reigning Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) rookie of the week, Sierra Baldwin then hit a sacrifice fly ball to center that scored Estrada, but Patmon was doubled off of second on the play. Graduate Jai Deese ended the inning with a strikeout.
The Titans tied the game at 1 with their unearned run in the fifth before the Aggies gave Douglas some security runs in the home half of the fifth. Freshman Katriel Williams hit a one-out single through the right side before stealing second to move into scoring position. Estrada then tripled down the right field line, scoring Williams.
Estrada scored on the play when Detroit Mercy pitcher Olvia Warrington was not paying attention to Estrada at third as she, Warrington, walked back to the circle. It allowed Estrada to steal home for a 3-1 Aggies lead. Estrada went 2-for-3 with two runs scored.
Douglas took it from there before the Aggies started Game 2 with freshman Amaya Kearse (1-1) in the circle. Kearse also had a strong pitching performance but took the loss after pitching six innings and giving up three runs on four hits.
A&T took a 1-0 lead in the second game thanks to an RBI double from Baldwin that scored Patmon. Alison Donaugh tied the game at 1 on a sac fly to center in the fifth. But Jaiden Lara delivered the biggest blow of the game with a two-run home run to left center to give Detroit Mercy a 3-1 lead in the sixth.
But the Aggies fought back in their sixth as Estrada hit a lead-off double before Baldwin hit a one-out single to left that sent Estrada to third and Baldwin to second on the throw into the infield. Deese then hit a ground ball to first that Lara scooped up and fired home to throw out Estrada. But Deese went to second, and Baldwin came home on the throw to get the Aggies to within a run, 3-2. But Freshman Megan Ellis popped out to end the threat.
Douglas replaced Kearse in the seventh and gave up back-to-back singles and a sac bunt to put runners on third and second with one out. A passed ball allowed Jordyn Chapman to score to give the Titans a 4-2 lead before a pop out and a groundout ended the inning.
The Aggies put the tying run at the plate in their seventh with two outs after Barkhimer singled, but Willams grounded out to end the game. The win went to Chloe Spitzer after a complete-game, four-strikeout performance.
