CHARLOTTE – On Tuesday, the North Carolina A&T baseball team traveled to Robert and Mariam Hayes Stadium to take on the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. The 49ers compiled four extra-base hits, including a home run, and took advantage of opportunities given to them by A&T to earn a 10-2 home win.
After the non-conference contest, the Aggies dropped to 18-14 overall. Meanwhile, Charlotte, which has played a difficult schedule this season, improved to 15-18.
Right-handed A&T starting pitcher Brock Duff (L, 1-1) held the 49ers scoreless after the first three innings. His counterpart, Charlotte RHP Miles Langhorne (W, 1-2), went four innings before giving up a run.
Charlotte finally broke through in the fourth inning, securing an outstanding six-run rally by taking advantage of mistakes and hitting in big situations. Noah Furcht's RBI single through the left side gave the 49ers a 1-0 lead. The Aggies turned to senior RHP Connor Blantz after the single.
An error at shortstop greeted him, leading to another 49er run. After Blantz got Kaden Hopson to pop out, Carson Bayne's three-run home run to left field put Charlotte ahead 5-0. Later in the inning, a wild pitch from Blantz's replacement, senior RHP Isaiah Brewington, led to Charlotte's sixth run of the inning.
The Aggies responded in the visitor's fifth, with senior outfielder TJ Ash leading off the frame with a double to right field and later scoring on junior infielder Enrique Wood's sacrifice fly.
Charlotte continued scoring, adding to their lead in the sixth. Bayne opened the inning with a double to right field. He later stole third and scored on a throwing error, extending Charlotte's lead to 7-1. The 49ers posted two more runs in the seventh, aided by two A&T errors, and they made it 10-1 in the eighth inning off an RBI double from Brandon Stahlman.
Despite a brief resurgence by the Aggies in the top of the ninth, with senior outfielder Camden Jackson doubling to left field and eventually scoring on an error, it wasn't enough to overcome Charlotte's commanding lead.
Charlotte's pitching combined to strike out 13 Aggies. Brewington led A&T with three strikeouts over 2.1 innings pitched. Graduate infielder Tatsunori Negishi went 1-for-3 to increase his streak of reaching base safely to 19 games. Ash went 2-for-3 and scored a run.
The Aggies turn back to Coastal Athletic Association (CAA) play this weekend as they match up against William & Mary University for a three-game set in Williamsburg, Va. The first game will air on FloBaseball at 6 p.m., from Plumeri Park.
