NEWARK, Del. – The North Carolina A&T baseball team lost the rubber match of its three-game Coastal Athletic Association (CAA) series to the University of Delaware Blue Hens 11-1 in seven innings on Sunday.
The Aggies were held to fewer than five hits for the first time in 12 games, falling to 13-25 overall and 8-7 against CAA opponents. After losing two of three to the Blue Hens, the Aggies have dropped into a three-way tie for third with UD and Stony Brook. UD's Andrew Amato had a 4-for-4 afternoon that included six RBIs and two runs scored to help the Blue Hens improve to 21-17 overall and 8-7 in league play.
UD left-hander Elias Conway (W, 2-0) started the game for the Blue Hens. He pitched four complete innings without giving up a run. He surrendered one hit and one walk and posted six strikeouts. Junior RHP Matt Murtagh (L, 0-4) got the Sunday start for the Aggies, but left the game after an inning and a third as LT Cockrill's two-run RBI single and a walk that gave the Blue Hens a 4-0 lead and a walk to Aiden Stewart ended his afternoon.
Senior RHP Diego Barrett replaced him and opened his outing by striking out Evan Bouldin. But Amato completed the three-run second inning for the Blue Hens with an RBI single to right before Barrett struck out Jackson Tyer to end the frame.
UD added a run in the third with an RBI sacrifice fly from Aaron Graeber and two more runs in the fourth off a home run from Amato and a throwing error to take an 8-0 advantage over A&T. The Aggies avoided the shutout in the visitor's sixth.
Reigning co-CAA Rookie of the Week, Bruce Wyche led off the frame with a single to left before advancing to second on a wild pitch. Freshman Tyler Smith walked to put two Aggies on with no outs. Freshman Savoi Edwards followed with an RBI single to left, scoring Wyche, who leads the team in runs scored with 38.
After a strikeout, the Aggies loaded the bases with two outs thanks to a walk surrendered to junior Andrew Tinsley. However, senior Enrique Wood grounded out to shortstop to end A&T's threat. Bouldin added an RBI double in the sixth, and Amato followed with a two-run home run to give UD a 10-run lead.
UD's sixth inning put the game in threat of ending early thanks to the run rule that stops the game if there is a 10-plus run deficit after 6 ½ or seven innings played. The Aggies went down in order in their seventh to end the game and the series.
During the week, the Aggies will travel to Radford, Va., to face the Radford Highlanders at 6 p.m., Tuesday, April 22. A&T will begin a three-game weekend series with Piedmont Triad rival Elon at Latham Park in Elon, NC, starting Friday, April 25 at 6 p.m.
