GREENSBORO – The North Carolina A&T softball team played five games on its home field in three days and won four, including Sunday's doubleheader sweep of the Norfolk State Spartans at the Lady Aggies Softball Complex.
In Game 1, A&T senior second baseman Alyxx Estrada posted five RBIs, and graduate transfer Shandi Brown had two as the Aggies cruised to a 13-1 win in five innings. The second game presented more of a challenge, but a massive two-run RBI triple from freshman third baseman Trinity Glover helped the Aggies earn a 4-2 win.
The winning over the weekend improved the Aggies to 6-8 overall. Fortunately, the Aggies played excellently in front of a home crowd that will not get a chance to see them play at home again until March 15 versus Coastal Athletic Association (CAA) opponent Delaware.
Junior right-hander Joey Barkhimer (W, 2-1) and senior RHP Sharla Kirkpatrick (W, 2-3) pitched brilliantly in the circle for A&T on Sunday, with Barkhimer starting Game 1 and Kirkpatrick starting the second game. Barkhimer pitched all five innings, surrendering four hits, one run, four walks, and striking out two.
A&T's offense gave Barkhimer all the support she needed. After taking a 1-0 lead in the first, the Aggies exploded for four runs in the second. Barkhimer helped herself to open the second with a solo home run to left field. It marked her second home run of the season and the fourth of her career. Norfolk starter Brierra Tyler (L, 0-1) retired the next two batters before the Aggies offense heated up again.
Sophomore catcher Camryn Caldwell doubled to right, and sophomore shortstop Makayla Layton walked, setting up a two-run RBI double from Estrada to give the Aggies a 4-0 lead. Estrada came home on an RBI single from Brown before Brenay Howard grounded out to end the inning. But the offense had more firepower coming in the third.
Freshman Jamari Moss and Barkhimer walked to open the frame. Sophomore third baseman Charlize Taylor reached on an error to load the bases. Another Norfolk error led to Moss scoring, leaving the bases loaded. Norfolk reliever Lauren Sheehan walked Layton to force in another run to give the Aggies a 7-0 lead. Estrada's RBI single scored Taylor, and Brown's RBI single scored Caldwell. The Aggies ended the inning with a 10-0 lead after Brown grounded out to short to score Layton.
A&T added three more runs in the fourth as Taylor scored on a wild pitch, and Estrada hit a two-run single to right center to give the Aggies a season-high 13 runs. The Spartans scored a run in the fifth, but it was not enough as they were run-ruled to end the game.
Norfolk started better against Kirkpatrick in Game 2 by scoring two first-inning runs. The Aggies responded with a two-out rally in their half of the first as Barkhimer singled to left, which Moss followed with an RBI double. The Spartan pitching combination of Emma Zieg (L, 0-1) and Maddy Morris pitched effectively against the Aggies.
The Aggies trailed 2-1 going to the home fifth against Zieg. Zieg retired the first two Aggies and looked like she would end the inning on Moss's line drive to center. But Norfolk center fielder Victoria Taylor dropped the ball, allowing Moss to reach second. After a walk to Howard, freshman third baseman Trinity Glover brought both runners home with a triple to right field to give the Aggies a 3-2 lead.
An insurance run was added in the sixth when Caldwell doubled and moved to third on a sacrifice bunt by Layton. Caldwell scored on a wild pitch, giving the Aggies a 4-2 lead going into the seventh. Kirkpatrick completed the game by retiring the Spartans in order in the seventh. She pitched a complete-game four-hitter, giving up two runs, walking none and striking out three.
Glover went 2-for-3 with two RBI. Caldwell and Barkhimer also had two hits. The Aggies will take a break from competition before playing in the Spring in the Springs tournament hosted by Gardner-Webb in Boiling Springs, N.C., March 1-3.
