EAST GREENSBORO – In the first game of a Sunday doubleheader played at the Lady Aggies Softball Complex, North Carolina A&T ended a seven-game losing streak by having faith that freshman right-handed pitcher Megan Ellis could hold off a late Hofstra scoring threat. The Aggies then started a winning streak with a dramatic walk-off win in the second game to sweep the doubleheader from the Pride, 5-2 and 8-7. 

The doubleheader sweep improved the Aggies to 8-23 on the season and 3-6 in the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA). The program now has its first-ever CAA three-game series win after Hofstra won on Saturday. Hofstra, who came into the weekend as the only one-loss team in the CAA, dropped to 13-19 overall and 6-3 in league play. 

Ellis (W, 4-1) endured for seven innings, pitching her way out of challenging situations, some not of her making, to secure the win. Her final test came in the Hofstra seventh. Madison McKevitt singled to shallow right field with one out. But Gianna Iaquinto lined out to Katriel Williams in left field for the second out of the inning. 

But things got dicey when Ellis walked Alanna Morse on four pitches to bring the tying run to the plate in Chelsea Manto. But the Aggies stuck with their freshman ace. It paid off as Manto hit a weak groundball to Makayla Layton. Layton turned toward third base and fired a throw to Dezianna Patmon for the force out at third, giving the Aggies the win.  

Ellis threw 82 pitches, only surrendered three hits and two walks, and did not give up an earned run to lower her ERA to 2.21. Nikki Mullins (L, 4-6) only lasted one-third of an inning as the Aggies took a 3-0 first-inning lead after receiving RBI doubles from Patmon and Ellis and picking up an RBI single from Jai Deese. 

Hofstra cut the lead to 3-2, but the Aggies picked up a run in the third when designated player Kayla Taylor smacked her second home run of the season, a solo blast to left field. An additional A&T run came in the fourth off an Alyxx Estrada RBI sacrifice fly that scored Latianna Langley and gave the Aggies the 5-2 lead they carried into the seventh. 

Game 2 had three lengthy comebacks before finally being decided. First, A&T took a 3-0 lead before Hofstra scored seven unanswered runs to grab a 7-3 advantage. The Aggies then put together five unanswered runs to win the game. 

A&T's long journey back started in the sixth inning with impressive two-out hitting. Second baseman Kiara Richards started the rally when she squeezed a single through the right side. Left fielder Sierra Baldwin followed with a bloop single to center. But when Langley hit into a fielder's choice, it eliminated it forced Richards off the base paths and put the Pride one out away from escaping the inning. 

But Estrada hit a clutch RBI single through the right side, scoring Baldwin and putting runners at second and third as Estrada and Langley advanced a base on the throw home. Deese kept the two-out vibe going when she hit a blooper to left for a two-run single that cut Hofstra's lead to 7-6. 

Patmon grounded out to end the inning, leaving relief pitcher Kayla Douglas (W, 2-6) to prevent Hofstra from extending its lead in the seventh. Aside from a throwing error, Douglas and the Aggies had a clean seventh inning, setting up the dramatics of the seventh. 

Ellis started the rally with a single, and catcher Jocelyn Bennett kept going when Hofstra starter Julia Aspel (L, 2-6) hit her with the first pitch of the at-bat. But the Aggies needed more two-out magic as Richards fouled out, leaving Baldwin to extend the inning. Mission accomplished. Baldwin hit an RBI single to center field to tie the game at 7-7 as Williams, who was pinch running for Ellis, scored.         

Hofstra's decision to stay with its starter through a seventh-inning jam did not work out as well as the Aggies' decision in Game 1. Langley hit a slow slapped grounder to the first base line that Aspel raced off the circle to grab. Langley's speed made Aspel indecisive. As Langley ran down the first-base line, Aspel thought about throwing to third to throw out the slower-running Bennett. 

But instead, Aspel took her chances with trying to throw out Langley. However, Aspel's throw was too high and went into right field, allowing Bennett to score the game-winning run. 

Deese had a big-time second game, going 2-for-3 with four RBI. Baldwin went 3-for-4 with two runs scored and an RBI. Hofstra's Meghan Giordano hit her 10th home run of the season with a two-run shot in the sixth. She had three RBI in Game 2. 

The Aggies play at USC Upstate for a Tuesday doubleheader from Cyrill Stadium starting at 2 p.m.