TicketsFeb. 17, 2006
GREENSBORO, N.C.---Two five runs innings and four Cincinnati errors led North Carolina A&T to a 12-11 win over the Bearcats on Friday afternoon at War Memorial Stadium. The defeat was UC's fourth straight, while the Aggies were victorious in their season-opening contest.
The Bearcats had their best offensive day of the short season, banging out 11 hits, including three by LaFringe Hayes, but five unearned runs unseated UC's effort for its first win of the year. For Hayes, two of his three hits were triples, matching the Cincinnati school record for triples in a game, accomplished 10 times, including by the senior outfielder last March.
Cincinnati, which left nine men on base, had a chance to tie or go ahead in the ninth when Adam Yeager drove a single down the left field line and Hayes was hit by a pitch with one out. But NCAT closer Skegee Brooks got UC pinch-hitter Cory Hodskins to hit into a 4-6-3 double play that ended the slugfest.
Mark Muscenti and Jack Nelson each had a pair of base hits, including Muscenti's first double of the year. Muscenti and Yeager each drove in two runs, while Brian Szarmach added his first home run of the year.
The Aggies struck first with a pair of RBI singles against starting and losing pitcher Steve Blevins (0-2). NCAT capitalized on a UC fielding error, using singles by Patrick Oates and William Sunderland to take an early 2-0 lead.
UC came right back in the top of the second, sending eight hitters to the plate as part of a three-run inning. Szarmach started the inning off with a monster home run to dead center. The Bearcats' second run scored on an Aggie error and Yeager put UC into the lead with an RBI groundout.
The Cincinnati lead wouldn't last long as the Aggies put together their first of two five-run innings. Nick Mayo provided the big knock of the frame when he tagged Blevins for a three-run homer to center. NCAT added other scores in the inning on a passed ball and a double steal of second and home.
The see-saw battle took another turn in the third when Cincinnati put up six to go in front 9-7. Run-scoring doubles by Muscenti and Nick Maragas sandwiched around an RBI single by Nelson scored the first three runs of the inning. Yeager picked up his second RBI two batters later, just prior to Hayes' first triple which drove home Maragas.
After starter Michael Hauff got rouged up for nine runs and seven hits in 2.1 innings, the Aggies turned to junior college transfer Chris Eggers. Eggers retired the first nine hitters he faced and while he was shutting down UC, the Aggies went ahead for good with a five-run fifth inning. Raul Santiago got the ball rolling for the home team with a two-run homer to right. Phillip Brewington also highlighted the frame with an RBI double.
Trailing 12-9, UC tallied single runs in both the sixth and seventh innings to draw within one. Muscenti got his second RBI of the day with a single in the seventh, while Hayes' second triple drove home Jon DeLuca in the seventh. After ripping his first three-bagger into the right centerfield alley, Hayes' second triple didn't go as far as the speedy lead-off man raced all the way to third when right fielder Marcus Mack and second baseman Ronald Phelps collided.
Mayo was the offensive hero of the day for NCAT, as he scored three times, drove home three and had two hits. Oates and Sunderland both added two hits for the Aggies.
Eggers picked up the victory in his first Division I outing, allowing just one run on two hits in 3.1 innings of work. Brooks covered the final two innings for his first save.
Cincinnati and North Carolina A&T are scheduled for game two of the series tomorrow at 1 p.m. Junior Kyle Rapp will take the ball for UC, taking on Aggies' righthander John Primus.