CULLOWHEE, NC – North Carolina A&T softball had a rough start to the day but an impressive finish. On the second day of the Second Annual Catamount Classic hosted by Western Carolina University, the Aggies opened play with a 10-2 loss in five innings to Presbyterian College on Saturday morning at the Catamount Softball Complex.
But going into the afternoon, the Aggies recovered nicely to defeat the Rhode Island Rams 7-3.
Junior Katriel Williams went 3-for-4 with two runs scored and an RBI. Sophomore Jamari Moss drove in three runs. Senior Joey Barkhimer (W, 3-2) was brilliant for A&T, pitching a complete game, striking out six and walking only one.
She held the Rams scoreless over the game's first five innings. In the meantime, the Aggies gradually built a lead for the California native, starting in the second inning with an RBI from junior Megan Ellis to give the Aggies a 1-0 lead.
A&T kept its offense hopping in the third as sophomore Trinity Glover opened the home third with a single off Rhode Island starter Brooke Gerry (L, 0-1). Gerry struck out Katriel Williams before Roshell Williams singled to put runners on first and second. But Destiny Sims' fly out to right field left Moss responsible for coming through with a two-out hit.
Moss delivered. She singled through the right side, scoring Glover and Roshell Williams to give the Aggies a 3-0 advantage. Moss' RBI sacrifice fly gave the Aggies a 4-0 lead after five innings played.
The Rams finally got to Barkhimer in the visitor's sixth. Becca Zawistowski's RBI double to left scored Hannah Hernandez, who reached on an infield single. A walk and hit by pitch allowed the Rams to load the bases for Natalie Maleitzke. Unfortunately, Barkhimer hit Maleitzke with the first pitch she threw to her, to force in a run, cutting A&T's lead to 4-2.
Fortunately, additional run support came Barkhimer's way in the home sixth. An Avrelle Harrell two-out single was followed by a Glover single before Katriel Williams reached on a single. Harrell scored on the play after a throwing error, which allowed her to round third and touch the plate. Glover later scored on a wild pitch to give the Aggies a 7-2 advantage going into the seventh.
In the seventh, the Rams put runners on first and third with one out. Katie Knarr stepped to the plate and hit into a fielder's choice that forced out Kylie Bulinsky going to second but allowed Hernandez to score to get the Rams to within four. Barkhimer gathered herself and got Julianne Torres to foul out to end the game.
Glover aided the Aggies with a 2-for-3 day that included two runs scored.
Aaliyah Williams (L, 1-3) started the early game against Presbyterian. The Aggies grabbed an early 2-0 lead in the visitor's first on RBI singles from Sims and Ellis. But the Blue Hose put together a six-run third to take a 7-2 lead before scoring one in the fourth and two in the home fifth to end the game.
Peyton Duncan (W, 4-3) pitched all five innings. The Aggies will conclude their time in Cullowhee with a Sunday afternoon game against the host, Western Carolina, at 12:30.
