GREENSBORO – Inclement weather delayed Friday's start of the North Carolina A&T-Delaware Blue Hens Coastal Athletic Association softball series. Hence, the two teams turned A&T's CAA home opener into a Saturday doubleheader at the Lady Aggies Softball Complex.
The Blue Hens won Game 1, 11-0, in five innings before the Aggies lost a thrilling Game 2 matchup, 6-5. The Aggies dropped to 6-17 on the season and 0-5 in conference play. Delaware is 15-7 overall and 4-1 in CAA action.
The Aggies gave up 15 hits and produced only one in Game 1 off Delaware starter Emily Winburn (W, 9-2). Winburn pitched four scoreless innings, surrendering one hit and striking out six. Graduate pitcher Kayla Douglas (L, 1-4) started the game in the circle for A&T during the first game.
A&T's Game 2 starting pitcher, Sharla Kirkpatrick (L, 2-7), pitched all seven innings in a valiant effort that saw her surrender six hits while striking out one. After holding the Blue Hens scoreless over the game's first four innings, Kirkpatrick received some help in the fourth, starting with senior teammate Alyxx Estrada, who doubled to center field and moved to third on a bunt sacrifice from graduate Brenay Howard.
After senior Kayla Taylor walked, freshman outfielder Destiny Sims doubled to center field to bring Estrada home for the Aggies' first run of the day. Delaware got a run back in the visitor's fifth as Katie Scheivert hit an RBI triple to score Anaya Troy to tie the game at 1-1.
Howard helped the Aggies regain the lead in the bottom half of the fifth. Delaware starting pitcher Morgan Hess (W, 5-4) walked Makayla Layton to open the frame. Layton eventually advanced to third on a wild pitch and a sac bunt from sophomore Camryn Caldwell. Hess then walked Estrada with two outs, leading two Howard's base-clearing two-run triple to give the Aggies a 3-1 lead.
But the Blue Hens added three runs in the sixth and two in the seventh to take a 6-3 lead into the home seventh. Winburn (S, 1) entered the game to start the sixth for the Blue Hens and retired the Aggies in order. After five innings of not having success against Winburn, the Aggies figured her out in the seventh.
Layton walked to open the inning, and junior Joey Barkhimer hit a pinch-hit single down the left field line to put Aggies on first and second. Both runners advanced on a wild pitch. In a scramble to throw out Layton trying to score, the Blue Hens unleashed a bad throw, allowing Layton to come home to cut Delaware's lead to 6-4.
With freshman Avery Evans representing the tying run at the plate, she grounded out to second, moving Barkhimer to third. Estrada came to the plate and hit a sharp ground ball to third. Blue Hens third baseman Julia Boyet fired home and threw out Barkhimer trying to score to maintain Delaware's two-run lead. The putout also put the Blue Hens one out away from winning the game.
However, Howard had different plans. She singled to left field. A bad throw from left field allowed Howard to reach second and allowed Estrada to score to bring the Aggies to within one, 6-5. A strikeout by Winburn, however, ended the threat and the game.
Howard led the Aggies in Game 2, going 2-for-3 with three RBIs. Estrada scored three times for A&T, and Layton scored twice. The two teams conclude the series Sunday at noon from the Lady Aggies Softball Complex.
