EAST GREENSBORO – The North Carolina A&T Aggies closed out their 2023 regular season in softball on Saturday. They also discovered their first-round opponent in the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) Softball Championship Tournament.
On Saturday, the Elon Phoenix completed a three-game sweep of the Aggies with a 10-5 win at the Lady Aggies Softball Complex. The Aggies close out the regular season 17-33 overall and 10-14 in CAA play. They will enter the tournament as the No. 8 seed and play in the very first game of the tournament against the fifth-seeded Towson Tigers Tuesday, May 9 at noon from Bill Edwards Stadium in Hempstead, NY.
A&T is in a win-or-go-home situation. If they win, they advance to the double-elimination portion and will face No. 4 seed Elon again at noon on Wednesday. Unfortunately, the Aggies' season ends if they lose. The No. 1 seed in the tournament belongs to the Delaware Blue Hens. Towson swept the Aggies earlier this season.
The Aggies were trying to avoid being swept on Saturday, answering the Phoenix's first-inning run with one of their own. Second baseman Alyxx Estrada opened the first frame with a bunt single followed by another bunt single from center fielder Jai Deese, one of six seniors celebrated before the game on Senior Day.
A double steal by Estrada and Deese put Aggies on second and third with one out. Another senior honored on Senior Day, Kiara Richards, hit an RBI sacrifice fly to right, scoring Estrada. But Deese was thrown out, going to third to end the inning.
But the Phoenix would get another home run from Chloe Hatzopoulos, this one a two-run shot to center field to give the Phoenix a 3-1 lead. Hatzopoulos also hit a solo home run in the seventh inning to give her five for the series. In Elon's fourth, the Phoenix took command of the game with a four-run fourth spearheaded by a three-run RBI triple from Megan Grant to give Elon a 7-1 advantage.
The Aggies scored a run in their fourth on a wild pitch, but the Phoenix added two more runs in the sixth on a Grant two-run double to keep the Aggies at a distance. A&T third baseman Dezianna Patmon homered in the sixth to pull the Aggies to within six at 9-3. After Hatzopoulos' home run in the seventh, the Aggies closed the regular season with a two-run seventh.
A&T shortstop Makayla Layton opened the frame with a double before she moved to third on a passed ball. Camryn Caldwell followed with an RBI single to left to cut Elon's lead to 10-4. Latianna Langley reached base on a fielder's choice as Caldwell was eliminated from the base paths. Deese doubled home her fellow Senior Day honoree in Langley to give the Aggies their fourth run of the game.
A&T's rally continued when Deese moved to third on a wild pitch, and Patmon and Richards walked to load the bases. But left fielder, Katriel Williams grounded out to end the game. Elon starter Isley Duggins (W, 5-9) pitched four innings, striking out four, walking one and giving up two runs on four hits. Senior Day honoree Kayla Douglas (L, 4-9) pitched 3.2 innings in her final game at the Lady Aggies Softball Complex.
Patmon led the Aggies, going 2-for-3 with two runs scored and an RBI. Estrada and Deese had two hits apiece. Hatzopoulos went 2-for-3 with three runs scored and three RBI. Grant had a five-RBI day.
Along with Deese, Douglas, Richards and Langley, the Aggies celebrated Moriah Terry and Jocelyn Bennett before the game on Senior Day.
