McIntyre goes 2-for-4 with three RBI

Box Score
GREENSBORO, February 23, 2007 – North Carolina A&T junior pitcher Chris Eggers looked strong in his return for the Aggies after suffering from back problems last season. The Sanford native pitched 6.1 innings, struck out four and surrendered just two earned runs to lead the Aggies to a 4-2 win over Cincinnati Friday afternoon at War Memorial Stadium.

Junior designated hitter Joe McIntyre provided the offense for the Aggies, going 2-for-4 with three RBI. Charlie Gamble added two hits and scored twice for N.C. A&T (1-1). Sophomore right-hander Ron Phelps earned the save, his first of the season.

The Aggies earned an early lead for Eggers as Jeremy Jones was walked to lead off the second inning. Gamble followed with a double to center field, advancing Jones to third. Bearcats starter Steve Blevins loaded the bases by hitting senior Kory Kinnear with a 3-2 pitch.

McIntyre, a first-team All-MEAC selection in 2006, stepped up and hit a double to deep center field to score Gamble and Jones for a 2-0 lead. The Aggies added two more runs in the fourth as McIntyre again came up with runners in scoring position and roped a single to right to score Gamble. Kinnear, who reached on a single to right, advanced to third on McIntyre’s hit.

Lester Rivenbark’s sacrifice fly to left scored Kinnear for a 4-0 Aggies lead. Eggers (1-0) had the Bearcat hitters off balance, earning seven groundball outs and forcing the Bearcats to hit into one double play. But in the seventh he ran into trouble. Josh Harrison led off the inning with a single. After an Eggers wild pitch, Harrison moved to second and was later awarded third on an Eggers balk.

Adam Yeager took advantage with a RBI single to left, scoring Harrison and ending the Aggies hope of a shutout. Yeager moved into scoring position on a steal and was brought home by a Brian Szarmach single that cut the Aggies lead to 4-2.

But Shumate turned to an element of the game he couldn’t always rely on last season – his bullpen. Right-hander Jerel Wilson stepped up and struck out Neall French. After walking pinch-hitter Dustin Alvey, Jody Calloway struck out Cory Hodskins to end the inning.

The Bearcats threatened again in the ninth. With runners on second and third, Alvey hit a line drive that appeared headed toward left-center field before shortstop Nick Mayo sneered it out of the air for the final out of the ball game.

The Aggies continue their three-game series with the Bearcats (1-5) on Saturday afternoon at 1 from War Memorial.