CHAPEL HILL, NC – The North Carolina A&T baseball team got work for six pitchers on Tuesday evening against the eighth-ranked team in the country, the University of North Carolina (UNC) Tar Heels.
The Aggies pitching and defense looked strong over the first half of the game, but A&T's offense never got going in a 9-1 loss to the Tar Heels at Boshamer Stadium. The Aggies matchup against the Heels has become an annual one. The Aggies have played the Tar Heels every year except for one since 2018. They played them twice during the 2018 season: once during the regular season and once in an NCAA regional tournament game.
Also, during this current span, the Aggies beat UNC 7-6 at Boshamer Stadium in 2022. Tuesday proved a little different than four years ago, as the Aggies dropped 2-6 this season. UNC improved to 7-1-1 in 2026.
UNC got on the board in the second inning against Aggies sophomore right-hand starter Jordan Bright (L, 1-2). Owen Hull hit an RBI double down the left field line to score Macon Winslow. Michael McGinnis followed with an RBI sacrifice fly to right field to score Hull for a 2-0 Tar Heels lead. Bright went 2.1 innings, giving up three hits on two runs, while striking out one.
Bright left the game in the home third with one out and two on. Junior RHP Jason Johnson replaced him on the mound and got a foul out and a ground out to end the inning. Johnson set the Tar Heels down in order in the fourth inning before the Tar Heels' bats cranked up again. Winslow walked with the bases loaded to add to UNC's lead. Hull followed with a two-run RBI single to increase the Tar Heels' lead to 5-0.
Another run went on the board for the Tar Heels in the sixth before they added three more in the eighth on an RBI single from Jake Scaffner, an RBI single from Erik Paulsen, and another RBI single from Hull. A&T avoided the shutout in the ninth by posting a run.
Sophomore JT Taylor walked with one out before stealing second and moving to third on a wild pitch. Sophomore Tyler Smith then hit a single to shallow center field to bring home Taylor. A flyout by sophomore Bruce Wyche and a groundout by sophomore Savoi Edwards ended the game.
RHP Cameron Padgett started the game for the Tar Heels, throwing three shutout innings while giving up two hits, three walks, and striking out three. RHP Caden Glauber (W, 1-0) replaced Padgett in the fourth inning. He pitched five scoreless innings without giving up a hit, and he struck out five batters.
The Aggies will host a three-game series against the Akron Zips. The first game is on Friday, February 27, at 4 p.m. at War Memorial Stadium.
