GREENSBORO – The North Carolina A&T Aggies versus the UNC Greensboro Spartans in softball's Round 2 occurred on Wednesday at UNCG Softball Stadium. A week ago, the two Gate City programs dueled in an exciting ballgame at the Lady Aggies Softball Complex, with the Spartans winning a one-run contest.
Wednesday's matchup was less competitive. The Spartans secured a big lead early and eventually defeated the Aggies 9-1 in five innings in non-conference play. A&T dropped to 8-27 overall, and UNCG improved to 24-17.
The afternoon did not start badly for the Aggies. Senior infielder Alyxx Estrada led off the game with a double to right-center field on a 3-2 pitch from UNCG starter Jorde Chartrand (L, 4-4). Estrada has 26 career doubles. The two-bagger also marked Estrada's seventh double of the season, placing her three shy of surpassing her career in a season, which is nine.
Estrada moved to second on a passed ball before Chartrand retired the next two Aggies. Junior Joey Barkhimer, however, hit a clutch two-out RBI single through the left side to score Estrada, giving the Aggies a 1-0 advantage. Sophomore Makayla Layton kept the inning going with a walk before freshman Jamari Moss popped out.
UNCG had its way from there. The Spartans opened their half of the first with a triple, a walk and a two-run RBI single from Grace Loftin off A&T starter Sharla Kirkpatrick (L, 3-11). It gave the Spartans a 2-1 lead, and they would never relinquish the lead. After Meredith Hardwood drove in a run with a single, the Aggies turned to graduate right-hander Kayla Douglas.
Douglas walked Chartrand to put runners on first and second. Douglas retired the next two Spartans before loading the bases by hitting Betsy Eatmon with a 3-1 pitch. Tori Dalehite closed out the first-inning scoring with a two-run single to give UNCG a 5-1 lead after one inning.
The Spartans added a run in the second on an RBI sacrifice fly and two more runs in the third on a two-run home run from Dalehite. UNCG activated the run rule in the fourth when Rylie Williams' RBI triple gave the Spartans an eight-run lead. The Aggies had one last chance to extend the game beyond the visitor's fifth.
They put a runner on when Maddie Spell walked Estrada after throwing her eight pitches. But a strikeout and a fly out ended the contest. A&T returns home this weekend to face Coastal Athletic Association (CAA) in-state foe UNC Wilmington in a three-game series starting Friday with a 1 p.m. game at the Lady Aggies Softball Complex.
