CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – North Carolina A&T took its talents on the road for non-conference baseball midweek action against the 14th-ranked ranked University of North Carolina (UNC) Tar Heels.
The Tar Heels used two home runs from Parks Harber to hold off the upset-minded Aggies 10-5 at Boshamer Stadium on Tuesday night. Junior Shemar Dalton continued his outstanding season, extending his hitting streak to 13 games by going 2-for-4 with two runs scored. He has also reached base safely in 20 straight games. Senior Michael Logan went 2-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored, and junior infielder AJ Jones had two hits and an RBI.
Junior catcher Canyon Brown contributed with two RBI sacrifice flies. He also contributed in the top of the second inning. A&T took an early lead to start the game as the Aggies made the most of a walk issued to Brown by UNC starter and right-hander Olin Johnson. Senior outfielder TJ Ash used a fielder's choice to drive in the game's first run. But Harber hit the first of his two home runs, the first a huge drive to center field off A&T starter and RHP Jake Delisi in the UNC second, to give the Tar Heels a fast response and the lead.
A&T appeared to have a rapid response ready in the visitor's third. Senior infielder Devon Rodriguez opened the frame with a single, followed by base hits from Dalton and Logan to load the bases. The game then experienced an hour-long rain delay.
When action returned, UNC brought in pitcher Matthew Matthijs (W, 10-1). He got Tatsunori Negishi to into a fielder's choice that forced out Rodriguez at home. Brown did come through with an RBI sacrifice fly that scored Dalton to tie the game at 2-2. Matthijs got Jones to fly out to end the A&T threat.
Once again, the Tar Heels had an answer in their half of the inning. UNC took advantage of some Aggie mistakes in the home third. Vance Honeycutt hit an RBI triple to left off A&T RHP Isaiah Brewington (L, 0-1).
Alberto Osuna brought Honeycutt home on an RBI sac fly. Anthony Donofrio, who walked after the Honeycutt triple, stole second and moved to third on a throwing error. Harber then reached on an error, allowing Donofrio to score for a 5-2 UNC lead.
A&T kept the game close. In the fifth, Rodriguez reached on an error to start the frame. Logan singled him home and stole second base, but back-to-back popups ended the inning. But the Tar Heel pattern continued.
UNC answered in its half of the inning as they did when the Aggies scored before. Home runs from Osuna and Harber gave UNC a 7-3 advantage through five innings. The Aggies tried to grab the momentum back in the sixth after singles from Jones and Ash, and an error by UNC led to a bases-loaded situation for the Tar Heels. But a strikeout and a double play ended the rally.
UNC added another three runs in its sixth on three hits and two walks to take a 10-3 lead. A&T did not give in and continued fighting as they have all year. Dalton singled to lead off the seventh, and Logan reached via his team-high ninth hit-by-pitch.
Both players scored after an RBI sac fly from Brown and an RBI single from Jones, cutting the Tar Heels lead to 10-5. Junior RHP Angel Ortiz and junior RHP Trent Simmons pitched clean innings during the seventh and eighth innings.
A&T entered the ninth inning against RHP Ben Peterson. Peterson walked Dalton to open the frame, but Logan grounded into a double play, and Brown struck out to end the game.
The Aggies fell to 17-7 overall and lost their second midweek to a ranked opponent this season after losing to No. 1 Wake Forest in February. UNC improved to 22-4. The Aggies will be back in action this weekend against Coastal Athletic Association (CAA) foe UNC Wilmington at War Memorial Stadium. The first pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m. on Friday.
