WEST LONG BRANCH, NJ – North Carolina A&T pitchers Joey Barkhimer (W, 4-6) and Kayla Douglas combined to slow down the Monmouth Hawks bats, and the Aggies offense came up with some timely hitting in a 7-2 win over the Hawks Saturday afternoon at MU Softball Park.
The Aggies won their second Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) series of the season, improving to 11-25 overall and 5-7 in league play. In addition, the Aggies are 5-3 in April. In losing the three-game series, Monmouth dropped to 6-25 overall and 5-10 in league play.
A&T broke open a 1-1 tie in the visitor's third when center fielder Jai Deese blasted a two-run home run after second baseman Alyxx Estrada walked with one out. Deese led the Aggies by going 2-for-3 with two RBI and two runs scored.
Third baseman Dezianna Patmon followed with a single before stealing second and moving to third on a Megan Ellis groundout. But the threat ended with a Jocelyn Bennett groundout.
The Hawks had a response in their third as second baseman Eve Serrato doubled off Barkhimer. Two batters later, designated player Devin Coia drove Serrato in with an RBI double to cut A&T's lead to one, 3-2. But the Aggies had an answer for that. Shortstop Makayla Layton opened the fourth by reaching on a Serrato error at second.
Left fielder Sierra Baldwin then hit a one-out single to left to put Aggies at first and second. Right fielder Latianna Langley drove in Layton with an RBI single and moved to second on a fielding error in right as Barkhimer entered the Hawks fourth with a 4-2 lead. Langley had a 2-for-3 day at the plate with a run scored.
In the fourth, Barkhimer gave up a walk to first baseman Julia Thuer, who moved to second on a sacrifice bunt from Riley Riendeau. The Aggies replaced Barkhimer in the circle with Douglas, and Douglas retired the final two batters of the inning, maintaining the Aggies two-run lead.
Douglas retired eight of the first nine Hawks she faced and pitched 3 2/3 scoreless innings, giving up only two hits, one walk, and striking out one. Her teammates gave her incredible run support in the seventh. The rally started with Langley's infield single, prompting the Hawks to replace starter Billie Kerwood (L, 3-11) with Kylie Gletow.
Gletow struck out Estrada, but Langley stole second base. Deese then reached on a bunt single. In an attempt to throw out Langley going to third, Thuer made a bad throw from the first base position, allowing Langley to score for a 5-2 A&T advantage. A&T's rally continued as Gletow walked Patmon on eight pitches to put Aggies at first and second.
Ellis followed with one of the biggest swings of the game. She roped a two-run double to right center to give the Aggies a comfortable 7-2 lead going into the seventh. Ellis drove in three runs for the Aggies on Saturday.
After giving up a leadoff single to pinch-hitter Kiley O'Rourke to open the Monmouth seventh, Douglas got let fielder Francesca Torraco to ground out for the first out of the frame.
Torraco's groundout allowed O'Rourke to move to second. A passed ball advanced O'Rourke to third before Serrato grounded out to third to put the Aggies one out away from victory. After Abby Warren walked, the game ended on a Mackenzie Bloss fly out to center. Serrato went 2-for-4 with a run scored for the Hawks.
