Aggies Down Bulldogs 8-3 in 7 Innings

ASHEVILLE, N.C. ? North Carolina A&T hit four straight solo home runs in the third inning as the Aggies downed UNC Asheville 8-3 in a rain-shortened game at Greenwood Field Saturday afternoon.

The teams were scheduled to play a double-header but could only get most of the first game played before a thunderstorm rocked the Asheville area. North Carolina A&T actually led 12-3 in the bottom of the eighth inning when the rains hit as the Aggies scored four times in the top of the inning. Because the Bulldogs could not finish their inning at bat, the score reverted to the last full inning played.

North Carolina A&T (18-31) hit five solo home runs on the day. Center-fielder Xavier Macklin hit two solo homers to lead the Aggie attack. He now has 11 home runs on the year.

The Bulldogs (8-39) were led by Austin Graham at the plate. He went 2-for-3, scored a run and stole a base.

Asheville took a 2-0 lead in the second inning with some daring base-running. Reed Kreiser had a bunt single with one out. He then went to third on a hit-and-run single from Graham. With two outs, Graham stole second and Kreiser scored on the play to give the Bulldogs a 1-0 lead. Catlin Carter followed with a run-scoring double to plate Graham and push the margin to 2-0. Kevin Weidenbacher singled to left and Carter tried to score on the play but was throw out at the plate on a strong throw from left-fielder George Hines for the third out of the inning.

The lead didn't last long as the Aggies unleashed a long-ball attack in the top of the third. Bulldog starter Ryan Dull (3-11) retired the first seven North Carolina A&T hitters when the barrage began. Chris Mullins became the first Aggie to get a hit when he homered over the left-field wall to cut the lead to 2-1.

Lester Rivenbark followed with a home run down the left-field line to tie the game at 2-2. Hines then followed with a long home run to center field to give the Aggies a 3-2 lead. Macklin then hit his first homer of the day over the center-field wall to push the lead to 4-2.

Macklin hit his second homer in the fifth inning to increase the visitors' lead to 5-2.

The Bulldogs battled for a run in the sixth when Beau Zinman drove in Justin Schumer on a run-scoring single to cut the lead to 5-3.

North Carolina A&T put the game away in the seventh with three runs as an error and run-scoring singles from Cyril Daniels and Hines gave the Aggies an 8-3 advantage.

The win went to reliever Chris Watson (4-5) who pitched three innings in relief of starter Esterlin Paulino.

UNC Asheville plays again this Wednesday evening at UNC Greensboro starting at 6 p.m.

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Catlin Carter

Ryan Dull

Austin Graham

Reed Kreiser

Justin Schumer

Kevin Weidenbacher

Beau Zinman

University of North Carolina Ashville Athletics