GREENSBORO – UNC Greensboro scored three runs in the visitors' ninth inning, and the North Carolina A&T baseball team did not have a big enough response in a close 9-7 loss to the Spartans Wednesday evening at War Memorial Stadium.
As a result of Tuesday evening's non-conference action, the Spartans swept all three midweek contests from the Aggies after winning at UNCG and at First National Bank Park, home of the minor league team, the Greensboro Grasshoppers, previously. The Aggies dropped to 3-13 despite senior Nick DiCarlo continuing his impressive feats at the plate this season.
DiCarlo improved his hitting streak to six games and his batting average to .386 after going 3-for-4 with a double, a run scored, and an RBI. Savoi Edwards also doubled, had a base hit, scored, and drove in three runs. Jacob Budzik led the Spartans, who improved to 7-11 overall, with a 2-for-4 day that included three RBIs. It was Budzik who helped the Spartans take a 6-2 lead into the home fifth inning.
His two-run RBI double gave UNCG a 5-2 lead. Brady Gardner followed with an RBI single to give UNCG the four-run advantage. But DiCarlo's bat entered the picture once again in the bottom half of the fifth inning as he opened the frame with a double. Sophomore Tyler Smith earned a one-out walk, which then led to a double steal, putting DiCarlo on third and Smith on second. UNCG right-handed pitcher Nolan Winfield walked sophomore Bruce Wyche to load the bases for Edwards.
Edwards delivered a three-run RBI double to center field to bring the Aggies to within one at 6-5. Freshman Luis Acevedo drew a two-out walk, ending Winfield's outing. RHP Ayden West entered the game and struck out freshman Caleb Beals to end the frame. Aggies graduate RHP pitcher Diego Barrett stepped to the mound for the Aggies to open the sixth inning, retiring the Spartans in order. The Aggies left two men on base in their sixth inning before Barrett pitched his way out of a bases-loaded situation in the seventh.
After A&T left another man on in its seventh inning, junior RHP Agyei Quinichett (L, 0-1) entered the game in the eighth. He gave up a leadoff single to open the frame before striking out the next three Spartans he faced, leaving room for the Aggies to mount a rally in the bottom of the eighth. They did.
West opened the frame by hitting sophomore pinch-hitter JT Taylor with an 0-2 pitch before walking DiCarlo. After Taylor reached third on a passed ball, the Spartans replaced West with RHP Ethan Nobles (W, 2-0). The passed ball, however, allowed Taylor to score on junior Boaz Harper's groundout RBI to tie the game 6-6. A&T tried to take the lead as DiCarlo reached third on a wild pitch and Nobles hit Wyche with a 3-2 pitch, but a flyout to left ended the rally.
A clutch two-out, three-run RBI double by Tanner Berry in the visitors' ninth would give the Spartans the lead for good, even though the Aggies made some noise in the home ninth. Junior Jason Campo singled to lead off the frame before a groundout advanced senior pinch runner Andrew Tinsley to second base.
Nobles then walked sophomore Reginald Tuggle III and graduate Kristian Amaro to load the bases with one out. DiCarlo's RBI sacrifice fly brought Campo home to cut the Spartans' lead to 9-7. But Harper had a swing and a miss on a Nobles 3-2 pitch to end the game.
The Aggies return to Coastal Athletic Association (CAA) play this weekend with a three-game home series against the Campbell Fighting Camels from The War, starting on Friday, March 13. The first pitch is scheduled for 4 p.m.
