GREENSBORO — It happened again. For the second time in as many days, the North Carolina A&T softball team used a walk-off home run to defeat the Hampton Pirates. On Friday, graduate Brenay Howard's two-run home run in the bottom of the seventh secured the Aggies' first Coastal Athletic Association (CAA) win of the season.
Freshman Destiny Sims provided the heroism on Saturday, launching a two-run home run over the right-field fence to lead the Aggies to a 4-2 win over the Pirates at the Lady Aggies Softball Complex. Sims' blast helped the Aggies take two of three from Hampton as the A&T claimed its first CAA series win of the season. A&T improved to 8-22 overall and 2-10 in conference play. Hampton dropped to 11-23 overall and 4-8 in league play.
A&T captured the lead early and kept it for the majority of the game thanks to a solid performance in the circle from senior Sharla Kirkpatrick. Kirkpatrick went four innings, surrendering two runs on seven hits while striking out two and walking two. Freshman Jamari Moss gave the Aggies an early 1-0 lead in the first with an RBI single to center to score sophomore Makayla Layton, who doubled with one out earlier.
Kirkpatrick pitched her way out of a bases-loaded jam in the second inning, striking out Emily Kepple to end the Pirates' threat. Kirkpatrick retired the Pirates in order in the third and the fourth before running into trouble in the fifth.
Consecutive singles for the Pirates put runners on first and second, leading to the Aggies replacing Kirkpatrick with junior Joey Barkhimer (W, 3-4). Kepple greeted Barkhimer with an RBI single to right-center field to score Camryn Bonner to tie the game at 1-1. Barkhimer settled in and forced two straight pop-outs from the Pirates. But a passed ball allowed Aitirihna Aiken to score to give Hampton a 2-1 advantage.
Hampton starter Taryn Bennett pitched her way around a leadoff double in the home fifth from Katriel Williams. Barkhimer returned in the visitor's sixth and helped the Aggies escape another bases-loaded situation before Hampton went with Angelina Branch (L, 1-4) in the circle to open the sixth. She walked Layton during the frame but did not allow a run to score.
Barkhimer pitched a perfect seventh, leading to the dramatics of the seventh inning. Freshman Avery Evans started the fun with a walk, and Branch followed that by hitting Barkhimer with a pitch to put the Aggies on first and second. Branch recovered to strike out Williams before Camryn Caldwell caused her more problems by tying the game with an RBI single to center to score Evans.
Sophomore Kayla Graves, who entered the game as a pinch runner for Barkhimer, did get thrown out at third on the play to put the game one out away from extra innings. No worries. Sims promptly stepped up and motioned as if she was going to bunt before pulling the bat back and swinging for the fences, landing a beautiful shot into the grassy area in right field.
A&T recorded all three of its RBIs in the seventh inning. Aiken went 3-for-3 for the Pirates. A&T will take a break from CAA play this week as they welcome crosstown rival UNC Greensboro to the Lady Aggies Softball Complex for a Wednesday doubleheader starting at 3 p.m. A&T will then head to Hempstead, NY, to face defending CAA champions Hofstra for a three-game series from April 5-7.
