GREENSBORO – Why stop at one walk-off win in a weekend?
Because one is always better than two. The North Carolina A&T softball team won on a walk-off hit for the second consecutive day.
Sophomore Trinity Glover won on a two-run walk-off home run on Saturday. Sunday, senior Joey Barkhimer delivered a two-out RBI double to left-center field in the bottom of the seventh inning to lead the Aggies to a 6-5 Coastal Athletic Association (CAA) win over Towson at the Lady Aggies Softball Complex.
The win gives A&T its first CAA series win of the season, improving the Aggies record to 9-24 overall and 2-10 in CAA play. Towson dropped to 15-17 overall and 5-7 in league play.
Barkhimer (W, 4-10) not only delivered the game-winner but also pitched an excellent game in relief of sophomore starter Aaliyah Williams. Barkhimer pitched four scoreless innings, giving up two hits, two walks, and striking out two.
In addition, her two-run homer in the fifth inning tied the game 5-5. She went 2-for-2 at the plate with three RBIs and a run scored.
Candence Williams (L, 2-4) opened the home seventh in the circle, relieving starter Amanda Medina. Candence Williams' relief appearance did not start well. She placed the winning run on first when she opened the frame by walking Tyra Robinson. A strikeout and a pop-out followed, however, putting Candence Williams one out away from sending the game into extra innings.
Barkhimer would have none of it. She took the first pitch she saw from Candence Williams, an elevated fastball, and lifted into the outfield. Robinson sprinted from first base with tremendously long strides as the throw rifled in from center field. Robinson was already in her slide as the ball bounced toward the home plate, easily beating the throw and giving the Aggies another CAA win.
Robinson, Glover and Avrelle Harrell also drove in runs for A&T on Saturday. Grace Franczyk led the Tigers by going 3-for-4 with a run scored.
The Aggies offense got cranking in the home second. Glover's RBI double scored freshman Jaden James, who singled earlier. That was followed by an RBI infield single from Harrell, and Robinson gave A&T a 3-0 lead with an RBI single through the left side of the infield.
However, two A&T errors and a three-run double from Kaci Benton contributed to a five-run Towson fourth, giving the Tigers a 5-3 in the fourth. The Aggies went down in order in their half of the fourth.
A&T faced a challenge where the Tigers placed runners on first and third with one out in the visitor's fifth, but Madyson Peters hit into an inning-ending double play to keep the Aggies to within two runs. The big defense allowed for Barkhimer's big game-tying homer in the home fifth.
The Aggies are on the road for their next two three-game CAA series, starting with Stony Brook from April 4-6. Friday's first pitch from New York is at 1 p.m.
