HEMPSTEAD, NY – North Carolina A&T tried to mount another seventh-inning rally in its Coastal Athletic Association (CAA) softball series finale against Hofstra on Sunday afternoon but again fell short, losing to the Pride 6-3 at Bill Edwards Stadium. The Aggies dropped to 8-26 overall and 2-13 in CAA play. Hofstra completed the sweep, improving to 13-17 overall and 11-4 in conference play.
A&T trailed 6-0 going into the visitor's seventh. The inning started with Hofstra replacing starting left-handed pitcher Julia Apsel (W, 12-5) with reliever Annabella Pisapia. Pisapia started her outing by striking out freshman Avery Evans. She followed that, however, by waking sophomore Charlize Taylor on five pitches.
Pisapia walked sophomore Katriel Williams on four pitches before senior infielder Alyxx Estrada ripped a two-run RBI triple to right-center field to score Evans and Taylor, cutting the Pride's lead to 6-2. It marked Estrada's ninth career triple. Estrada's triple chased Pisapia from the circle as RHP Marissa Ogden entered.
Ogden gave up an RBI single up the middle to freshman Destiny Sims, cutting the Aggies deficit to 6-3. A&T's comeback efforts ended with graduate Brenay Howard striking out and freshman Jamari Moss grounding out to the pitcher.
A&T received a good start from RHP Amaya Kearse (L, 1-5). Kearse set down the Pride in order in the first. She did surrender a two-out in the second but quickly got Fitzgerald to ground out to end the inning. Kearse hoped to get some help in the visitor's third as the Aggies had runners on second and third with two out, but the inning ended on a ground out.
Hofstra did put a run on the board in its third off an RBI double from Olivia Malinowski. Kayla Wilson made it 2-0 in the Hofstra fourth with an RBI triple. The Pride scored four runs in the sixth inning off graduate reliever Kayla Douglas. Hofstra used four runs, three hits, one walk, and a two-run single from Alanna Morse to aid the rally. It gave Hofstra the 6-0 it held going into the Aggies three-run seventh.
Morse led the Pride by going 2-for-3 with two runs scored and two RBIs. Estrada led the Aggies with two RBIs. A&T is scheduled to play another midweek game against crosstown rival UNC Greensboro. The two teams played at the Lady Aggies Softball Complex last Wednesday. They are slated to play UNCG Softball Stadium on Wednesday, April 10 at 4 p.m.
