GREENSBORO – North Carolina A&T's high-powered offense cooled a bit on Tuesday as the Davidson College Wildcats entered War Memorial Stadium and walked away with a 7-1 in non-conference baseball action.
The Aggies, coming off a 13-run performance against the University of South Florida in Tampa on Sunday, dropped to 11-5 on the season. Davidson, a school out of the Atlantic-10 conference, improved to 6-10. A&T came into the game having produced double-figure hits in its previous four games.
That streak was broken on Tuesday, as A&T had five hits, but it did keep some impressive streaks alive. Junior Shemar Dalton walked and singled in the game and has reached base safely in 12 straight games. He also has a five-game hitting streak going. Teammate Enrique Wood also singled, improving his hitting streak to 10 games, which is the longest of the season for an Aggie.
The game started with both teams flexing their defensive muscles, keeping the scoreboard clean in the initial inning. Davidson managed to break the deadlock in the top of the second inning thanks to a well-executed RBI single by Nicholas Jouras.
However, North Carolina A&T quickly responded in the bottom half of the inning, highlighted by senior outfielder TJ Ash's leadoff double. The Aggies eventually loaded the bases, and senior infielder Devon Rodriguez picked up the Aggies' only RBI of the game via a walk by Wildcat starter and left-hander Isaac Fix to force in a run.
The momentum swung back in Davidson's favor in the top of the third inning, as they capitalized on walks and timely hits to plate three runs, seizing a 4-1 lead against right-handed starter Carter Daniels (L, 0-1). From there, Davidson's pitching staff stifled A&T's offense, keeping them off the scoreboard in the ensuing innings.
Davidson extended its lead in the top of the sixth inning, adding three more runs to its tally with clutch hitting. Despite A&T's efforts to mount a comeback, Davidson's bullpen remained resilient, including RHP Brycen Champey (W, 1-1), who pitched three scoreless innings, surrendering two hits, walking one, and striking out one.
A&T made a last-ditch effort to chip away at the deficit in the bottom of the ninth, but Davidson's pitching held firm, securing the victory. Nicholas Jouras and Eli Putnam led the Wildcats, with Jouras recording three RBIs and Putnam having two singles and scoring twice. A&T displayed uncharacteristic traits on the mound, walking 12 hitters.
The Aggies aim to regroup and bounce back stronger in their next outing, eager to turn the tide in their favor. They face the George Mason Patriots, another A-10 opponent, in a three-game series at War Memorial Stadium this weekend, starting with Friday's 6 p.m. contest.
