ELON, N.C. – North Carolina A&T softball had a rough time during the first game of a Friday doubleheader before losing a heartbreaker in the second game. The Aggies lost their Coastal Athletic Association (CAA) season opener to the Elon Phoenix at Hunt Softball Park 8-0 in five innings. 

The Aggies lost the second game 6-5 on a walk-off double. They are 6-14 on the season and 0-2 in conference play. The series finale will be played on Sunday at 1 p.m. at Elon. 

On Friday, the Aggies trailed 5-4 going into the visitor's seventh before sophomore outfielder Katriel Williams earned an infield single off Elon reliever Meredith Wells (W, 1-4). Freshman outfielder Destiny Sims followed with another single that advanced Williams to third. Freshman Trinity Glover later grounded out to first to score Williams and tie the game at 5-5. 

A&T starter Sharla Kirkpatrick (L, 2-5) entered the home seventh and had to face Drew Menscer to open the frame. Menscer reached on an error and moved into scoring position by stealing second. Allee Seering became the hero for Elon with her game-winning RBI double, scoring Menscer. 

Williams led the Aggies by going 3-for-4 with two runs scored. Senior second baseman Alyxx Estrada had a 2-for-3 game, scoring twice and driving in a run. Estrada started a first-inning rally with a single through the left side before moving to second on a sacrifice bunt from Brenay Howard. With two outs in the inning, junior Joey Barkhimer singled home Estrada to give the Aggies a 1-0 lead. 

The Aggies grabbed a three-run lead in the fourth when Elon right-hander Isley Duggins walked Estrada and Howard with the bases loaded, giving the Aggies a 3-0 lead. Elon scored three in the home fourth and two in the home fifth to take a 5-3 lead. A&T got a run back in the sixth, thanks to a two-out rally. 

Estrada and Howard hit consecutive singles to set up freshman Jamari Ross's RBI single to center to make it a 5-4 game before Wells got Barkhimer to ground out to second to end the inning, setting up the late-game theatrics. 

Barkhimer (L, 2-3) started Game 1 in the circle for the Aggies. Elon took advantage of being walked eight times during the game. The Phoenix put together a five-run fifth inning to trigger the collegiate softball run-rule of leading by eight after five. Elon starter McKenna McCard (W, 2-4) pitched a four-hitter against A&T.