GREENSBORO – The North Carolina A&T baseball team kicked off the 2026 season Friday afternoon in what doubled as their home opener against Northern Illinois University (NIU) at War Memorial Stadium.
However, Opening Day for A&T at The War did not go well for the Aggies, unlike recent history. A&T lost its first season opener since 2022 with a 10-2 loss to the NIU Huskies. The loss also marked the Aggies' first home opening loss since 2022.
The Aggies produced only five hits, but two of those were extra-base hits as sophomore
JT Taylor doubled and junior
Marcus Bradshaw homered. Graduate and preseason all-Coastal Athletic Association (CAA) right-handed pitcher
Diego Barrett (L, 0-1) got the start and posted six strikeouts in three innings pitched.
When Barrett left the game before the start of the fourth inning, the Aggies trailed only 3-0. However, the Huskies broke the game open with a five-run fourth inning as junior RHP
Jason Johnson replaced Barrett. NIU loaded the bases against Johnson with a single and back-to-back walks, leading graduate RHP
Ross Fowler to replace Johnson on the mound.
Fowler hit the first batter he faced to force in a run. Cole Smith then delivered with a three-run triple to center field to give the Huskies a 7-0 advantage. After a groundout for the first out of the inning, Gavin Baldwin also grounded out. But his groundout led to Cole Smith scoring to complete the Huskies' five-run frame.
A&T got on the board with a run in the home fourth off NIU starter Carter Cox (W 1-0). Sophomore
JT Taylor opened the inning with a walk before sophomore
Bruce Wyche with one out in the frame to Aggies on first and second. With two outs in the inning, sophomore
Boaz Harper singled to score Taylor to cut NIU's lead to 8-1.
NIU's Charlie Parc added an RBI single in the fifth before the Aggies added another run in the home eighth with Bradshaw's home run. The Huskies scored the game's final run on an RBI single from Vinny Spotof. Cox tossed five innings for the Huskies, giving up one run and four hits, while striking out 10.
The teams get together again on Saturday to play Game 2 from The War, starting at 2 p.m. The two teams will conclude the series on Monday at 4 p.m. due to inclement weather expected in the Triad area on Sunday.
