Softball | 2/25/2026 9:54:00 PM
Box Score 1 |
Box Score 2
CLINTON, SC – North Carolina A&T lost on a walk-off single in the ninth inning as the Presbyterian College (PC) Blue Hose defeated the Aggies 7-6 in the first game of a doubleheader at PC Softball Complex on Wednesday.
In Game 2, the Blue Hose had a late offensive surge, putting together seven hits over the fifth and sixth innings to win 11-8. The two losses dropped the Aggies to 7-11 overall. Sophomore Aniya Merritt had an excellent doubleheader. She went a combined 4-for-8 with four runs scored and two RBIs.
Merritt helped the Aggies take the lead in the fifth inning of Game 1. Merritt reached on an error with two outs in the inning, which set up junior Bria Finley's two-run home run to give the Aggies a 5-4 lead. The Blue Hose responded with a two-out rally in the bottom of the sixth inning. After junior pitcher Devin Long (L, 1-3) retired the first two batters she faced in the frame, Cierra Grice doubled to center field.
An error allowed Grice to score to tie the game at 5-5. Long was snakebitten by the unearned run. She pitched 5.2 innings, giving up three runs, all unearned, while striking out four, walking six, and giving up six hits. The Aggies tried to give her the win, putting runners on first and second with two outs in the seventh inning.
But Finley popped out against PC pitcher Avery Robinson (W, 3-2) to send the game to the home seventh. Long gave up a leadoff single before setting down the Blue Hose in order to send the game into extra innings. The Aggies took the lead in the visitors' eighth inning. Per extra innings rules, the player who made the final out in the previous inning was placed on second base to open the current inning.
Therefore, Finley went to second to open the eighth. Junior Jamari Moss brought her home with an RBI double, giving the Aggies a 6-5 advantage. The Blue Hose tied the game in its half of the eighth inning on an RBI sacrifice fly from Hali Duke. After sophomore Anaya Mears went to second to open the ninth, the Aggies went down in order, sending the game into the bottom half of the ninth.
Sabrina Rose went to second and eventually scored the game-winning run as Morgan Farthing's RBI single won the game for the Blue Hose. Finley led the Aggies by going 2-for-4 with four RBIs. Merritt went 2-for-4 with two runs scored and an RBI. Duke led the Blue Hose with four RBIs.
Merritt went 2-for-4 with two runs scored and an RBI in the second game. Senior Katriel Williams stepped in and went 2-for-4 with two runs scored and an RBI. Sophomore Jaden James added a 2-for-3 Game 2, with two runs scored.
A&T took the lead in a gigantic two-out rally in the top of the fourth. With James on first with two outs, Merritt reached on an infield single before Katriel Williams brought her home with an RBI single to cut PC's lead to 6-5. Finley followed with a two-run RBI double to give the Aggies a 7-6 advantage.
Peyton Duncan (W, 4-3) replaced Avery Robinson in the circle after Finley's double, but an error on a Moss grounder allowed Finley to score to push A&T's lead to two. Duncan then hit junior Trinity Glover with a 1-2 pitch before the inning ended on a strikeout by sophomore Tyra Robinson.
PC's offense ignited from there. The Blue Hose added a run on an RBI sac fly in the fourth, cutting A&T's lead to 8-7. PC scored three runs in the fifth to take the lead for good. Blair Darby hit an RBI double to tie the game at 8. The Aggies turned to junior Aaliyah Williams to replace freshman Maliyah Alexander (L, 0-3) in the circle.
Aaliyah Williams gave up a two-run RBI triple to Farthing to give the Blue Hose a 10-8 advantage. An RBI single from Gracie DeCuir added an RBI single in the sixth. Avery Robinson led the Blue Hose by going 3-for-5 with two runs scored.
Eighteen games into the season, the Aggies will finally get a chance to play their home opener as they welcome the South Carolina State University (SCSU) Bulldogs to the Lady Aggies Softball Complex on Saturday for a 1 p.m. doubleheader.
