HAMPTON, Va. – The North Carolina A&T softball team tried to pull off a win to start the weekend three-game Coastal Athletic Association (CAA) series against the Hampton Pirates, but it was not enough. Hampton scored the winning on an error in the ninth inning to beat A&T 3-2 Friday afternoon at Pirates Softball Stadium.
Freshman Lauren Hardy and sophomore Jamari Moss were A&T's best hitters, both going 2-for-4 on the day, yet the Aggies still dropped to 10-35 overall and 2-20 in CAA play. Senior Joey Barkhimer (L, 4-15) had a solid outing in the circle for A&T, pitching 8.2 innings, striking out five, walking four, and giving up three runs.
Her counterpart, Hampton's Leah Maduro, pitched seven innings to help the Pirates tie the score at 2-2, followed by Angelina Branch (W, 7-10), who got the Pirates out of a difficult situation in the visitor's eighth inning, helping Hampton improve to 15-29 overall and 5-17 in league play.
A&T appeared on the verge of victory in the home seventh, leading 2-0 with one out in the frame. However, the Pirates tied the game 2-2 by scoring two runs on an error at first base. A&T ended that inning shortly after with two grounded outs.
A&T made a great effort to take the lead in the top of the eighth but could not pull through. Two errors allowed sophomore Destiny Sims and freshman Ayanna Mears to reach base. Sims went to third on the error that allowed Mears to reach. Mears stole second to put two Aggies in scoring position with no outs.
Branch entered the game and retired the first three batters she faced to keep the game tied. The Pirates tried their best to end the game in their eighth, loading the bases against Barkhimer with two outs. Fortunately, Barkhimer got Meagan Ramos to fly out to right to end the threat.
A&T went down in order in the ninth, leading to Hampton's dramatic ninth inning. A single by Amani Johnson and a walk to Aitirhna Aiken put two runners on against Barkhimer with two outs in the frame. Maduro stepped to the plate and hit an infield single to shortstop. However, an error was made during the play, allowing Johnson to score the winning run.
It was a tough loss for Barkhimer after a great pitching effort. Both teams remained scoreless through the game's first four innings. A&T scored their first run in the fifth after a walk to freshman Tyra Robinson, and singles surrendered to Hardy and Moss loaded the bases.
Barkhimer followed by delivering an RBI sacrifice fly for the inning's second out and the game's first run. A&T stretched its lead after Destiny Sims scored on an error in the visitor's sixth to take a 2-0 advantage before Hampton rallied in the seventh.
Game 2 from Pirates Softball Stadium starts at 1 p.m. on Saturday.
