RADFORD, Va. – North Carolina A&T's freshmen continued to come through for the Aggies baseball team in 2025, and senior right-hander Jacob Halford (S, 5) secured another excellent relief effort to lead A&T to a non-conference 8-7 win over the Radford Highlanders at Carter Memorial.
A&T, who routinely have four freshmen at the top of its lineup in Bruce Wyche, Tyler Smith, JT Taylor, and Savoi Edwards had that foursome go a combined 6-for-17 (.353) with six RBIs, five runs scored, and five extra-base hits. It helped the Aggies improve to 14-25 overall.
Radford was led by leadoff hitter Perez Jhonkeanu, who went 2-for-5 with two runs scored, an RBI, and a double. But the Highlanders dropped to 20-20.
The Aggies trailed 7-5 going into the visitor's seventh with Radford RHP Jaxon Kehoe (L, 1-1) on the mound. Highlander third baseman James Ward's error to lead off the inning allowed Wyche to reach first base. Smith, who went 2-for-5 with an RBI and a run scored, tripled down the right field line to score Wyche to bring the Aggies to within one.
Taylor followed with his eighth home run of the season. Taylor's two-run homer served as the game-winner, giving the Aggies an 8-7 lead. Taylor was 2-for-5 with two runs scored and two RBIs. He is tied for the team lead in home runs with Smith.
A&T tried to add to its lead during the frame as Kehoe walked senior Kristian Amaro with two outs. Senior Enrique Wood followed with a single before Kehoe got junior Nick DiCarlo to fly out to center to end the threat. Junior RHP Darius Robinson (W, 2-1), who entered the game during a five-run fourth inning for Radford, returned to the mound in the Radford seventh and exited the frame with relative ease.
Robinson's encore to that effort resulted in him retiring the Highlanders in order to move the game to the ninth inning. The Aggies loaded the bases with two outs against Highlander RHP Mason Self, but Radford avoided giving up an insurance run going into the home ninth by getting a flyout to center. Halford entered the game in the ninth and got Breckin Nace to fly out to center.
He also got James Ward to fly out to center before striking out Eli Hudgins to secure his fifth save, which ranks him second in the conference.
Wood added a 2-for-4 night with a home run, two runs scored, and an RBI. After Radford scored two runs in the home first off starter, RHP Carter Daniels, Wyche helped the Aggies answer with a two-run triple in the A&T second, tying the game 2-2. The Aggies took the lead in the third on an Edwards RBI double to right before junior Andrew Tinsley gave the Aggies a 4-2 advantage on an RBI double.
Radford's five-run fourth gave the Highlanders a 7-4 lead before Wood's home run got the Aggies to within two, 7-5.
A&T starts a three-game Coastal Athletic Association (CAA) series with Piedmont Triad rival Elon at Latham Park starting Friday, April 25 at 6 p.m.
