STONY BROOK, NY – North Carolina A&T's weekend in New York leaves the baseball program with large obstacles ahead as its season enters the stretch run. The Stony Brook Red Wolves completed the three-game sweep of the Aggies with a 6-1 Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) win Sunday at Joe Nathan Field. The two teams started play at 9:30 a.m. to avoid inclement weather.
The early start did not benefit either team. The game went scoreless over the first 5 ½ innings before the Red Wolves finally broke through against A&T right-handed starter Jaheim Brown (L, 1-5). Stony Brook put together a six-run sixth against Brown, with the big hit coming from second baseman Brett Paulsen, who hit an RBI double to center fielder, giving the Red Wolves a 2-0 lead.
Paulsen scored one batter later when shortstop Matt Miceli hit an RBI single to left. He moved to second on the throw home to get Paulsen, setting up Ryan Micheli's RBI single to left to score Miceli and give Stony Brook a 4-0 lead.
A&T broke out of its morning slump in the seventh inning as left fielder Cameran Brantley singled to left, followed by an RBI double from catcher Canyon Brown, cutting the Red Wolves lead to 4-1. After Canyon Brown's double, Stony Brook replaced RHP and starter Eddie Smirk (W, 1-2) with RHP Nick DeGennaro (S, 1).
DeGennaro executed his assignment by retiring the first three Aggies he faced to get the Red Wolves out of the inning without further damage. The Red Wolves added two more runs in their seventh inning on a throwing error and an RBI single from center fielder Derek Yalon to take a five-run lead into the game's final two innings.
A&T went in order in the eighth but did try to rally against DeGennaro in the ninth inning. Second baseman Tre Williams led the frame with a walk before Brantley struck out, and Canyon Brown grounded out to move the Red Wolves one out away from the sweep. But DeGennaro kept the game going when he hit TJ Ash with a pitch, putting runners on first and second. The game did end, however, when shortstop Devon Rodriguez grounded out.
The loss, unfortunately, means the Aggies have been swept in their last two road CAA three-game series. They are 17-23 overall and 9-13 in the CAA. However, the Aggies are still alive for one of the top six conference tournament spots allotted by the CAA. The Aggies are 1 ½ games out of the No. 6 spot but have few obstacles to hurdle.
There are two teams ahead of A&T vying for at least the sixth seed as the Aggies find themselves in ninth place. Delaware and Stony Brook are tied for sixth place. Both teams swept the Aggies this season. A&T's remaining two three-game series are against third-place College of Charleston (13-7) and fourth-place Elon (14-8).
But the Aggies have two possible makeup games with Monmouth if deemed necessary. The three-game series against Charleston is at War Memorial Stadium, where the Aggies are 7-3 against CAA competition at home. Designated hitter Camden Jackson led the Aggies by going 2-for-4. Right fielder Shemar Dalton saw his streak of reaching base safely halted at 15 games as he went 0-for-4 without reaching on a walk or an error.
Stony Brook had four players record multiple-hit games. The Aggies will get a midweek test against ACC foe North Carolina State at 6 p.m. Tuesday from Doak Field at Doak Park in Raleigh. The Aggies will host the Charleston Cougars for a three-game series starting Friday at 6 p.m.
