GREENSBORO – The College of Charleston Cougars pitched well in the later innings and got a game-winning RBI sacrifice fly from Daylan Johnson to defeat the Aggies 5-4 in 10 innings in the first game of a three-game Coastal Athletic Association (CAA) baseball series at War Memorial Stadium on Friday night.

Freshman Bruce Wyche doubled and homered, but the Aggies dropped to 15-32 overall and 9-13 in the CAA. After getting the game-winner from Johnson in the visitors' 10th inning, right-handed pitcher Davis Aiken (S, 10) closed the game for the Cougars in the home 10th inning to help Charleston improve to 29-19 overall and 11-11 in league play.

Senior RHP Angel Ortiz got the start for the Aggies and ran into some trouble in the Charleston first, giving up a leadoff double to Dariyan Pendegrass. Ethan Plyler followed with an RBI single to give the Cougars a 1-0 lead.  Johnson's one-out single moved Plyler to third, setting up an RBI sac fly from Will Baumhofer to provide Charleston with a two-run lead going into the A&T first.

The Aggies got a run back for Ortiz, as the Aggies leadoff hitter, Wyche, also started the game for his team with a double. A Tyler Smith groundout moved Wyche to third base before Wyche scored on a wild pitch to cut the Cougars' lead in half.

Johnson changed that in the Charleston third with a one-out home run. A&T freshman matched that homer with a leadoff homer to open the A&T fourth off Charleston right-hander Jake Brink. Taylor's solo blast cut the Cougars lead to 3-2, giving him his team-leading 11th home run.

A&T took the lead in its fifth after sophomore Jason Campo singled, and Wyche followed with a two-run shot to put A&T ahead 4-3. It marked Wyche's seventh home run of the season. The Aggie freshman foursome of Taylor, Wyche, Smith, and Savoi Edwards has a combined 29 home runs this season.

Unfortunately, the A&T bats cooled off from there. The Aggies only got one more hit after the Wyche homer. Meanwhile, the Cougars tied the game in the sixth on an RBI double from Alex LaCoste.

Aggie senior RHP Diego Barrett (L, 1-1) entered the game in the seventh inning and pitched well. After giving up a hit in the seventh, he pitched a perfect eighth and ninth innings before giving up a leadoff walk to Plyler. Landon Penfield followed with a double to put runners on second and third for Johnson, who delivered with his game-winning RBI sac fly. Johnson went 2-for-4 with two RBIs and a run scored.

Junior Nick DiCarlo tried to help the Aggies rally in the home 10th with a leadoff infield single. But he got caught stealing for the first out of the inning. Senior Kristian Amaro and Campo both struck out to end the game.

 Charleston RHP Alex Lyon (W, 8-1) entered the game in the ninth and retired the Aggies in order. Brink went eight innings, striking out 10. Ortiz and Barrett combined for eight strikeouts on Friday.  Game 2 is Saturday night at 6 from The War.