NEWARK, Del. – North Carolina A&T got off to a good start, but the Delaware offense proved too efficient on Sunday in an 11-4 win over the Aggies in the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) baseball series finale between the two teams at Bob Hannah Stadium.
After losing the first two games of the series by one run apiece, the Aggies endured their first-ever CAA three-game sweep as they fell to 14-18 overall and 6-10 in league play. They have lost their last five conference games. Delaware earned the sweep with two late-inning rallies in the first two games and by putting together a 14-hit afternoon on Sunday.
But it was the Aggies who got their offense ignited first. The first pitch Delaware right-handed starter Nate Rolka (W, 1-2) threw in the game hit A&T center fielder Michael Logan. Two batters later, Camden Jackson powered out his third home run of the season with a shot to left field, giving the Aggies a 2-0 lead. Jackson has hit safely in four straight games as he went 1-for-4 with three RBI.
However, Delaware shortstop JJ Freeman quickly got a run back for the Blue Hens with a leadoff solo shot in the home first off RHP Jaheim Brown (L, 1-4). Delaware took the lead for good with a four-run second. Three straight Delaware singles loaded the bases for second baseman Dan Covino. Covino hit an RBI sacrifice fly to left field to tie the game 2.
Third baseman Joey Loynd gave the Blue Hens the lead with an RBI single to score Adian Kane. Freeman moved to third on the play and later scored on a throw to second to catch Loynd trying to steal second. First baseman Josear Diaz closed out the second inning scoring with an RBI single that scored Loynd as the game went into the third with Delaware leading 6-2.
Delaware increased its lead to 8-2 in the fourth on an RBI double from Bry Greenly and an RBI triple off the bat of Jake Dunion. Tyler Leach gave the Blue Hens an 11-2 lead in the sixth on a grand slam home run by Tyler Leach. The Blue Hens had five extra-base hits on Sunday, including two home runs.
The Aggies did add two runs in the eighth. Second baseman Devon Rodriguez opened the inning with a walk. Two batters later, third baseman Cort Maynard hit a one-out single to right, moving Rodriguez to third. Jackson grounded out to second to score Rodriguez. Maynard moved to second on the play, setting up catcher Canyon's Brown RBI double down the left field line to cut the Blue Hens' lead to seven. But Shemar Dalton, who extended his hitting streak to eight games early in the game, grounded out to end the threat in the eighth.
A&T put runners on the corners in the ninth inning, but the game ended on a fielder's choice that forced Rodriguez off the base paths. Freeman led the Blue Hens by going 3-for-5 with two runs scored and an RBI.
The Aggies will have a midweek game against the High Point University Panthers six days after they beat the Panthers 12-11 in 11 innings. The two teams will play at Truist Point in High Point on Tuesday, April 18, at 6 p.m.
On Friday, they will try to end their five-game slide in the CAA when they face William & Mary at War Memorial Stadium at 6 p.m. During each game of the three-game weekend series, the program will celebrate the A&T Baseball Reunion, including the 1993 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) championship team, by unveiling their championship banner.
