Three different Aggies homer against Big Red

Box Score
GREENSBORO, March 22, 2007 – As a freshman, Ryan Sellers got his first career start against the red and white of N.C. State. Sellers was so thrilled about the start against the Wolfpack, he lists it as his favorite athletic moment at N.C. A&T. But after his pitching performance on Thursday against another team wearing red and white, Sellers may have to change that favorite moment.

The redshirt freshman out of Fayetteville, pitched 6.2 innings, giving up just two hits, one earned run, while striking out three to lead the Aggies to an 8-5 win over the Big Red of Cornell. Jody Calloway came in to get the save and C.J. Beatty led the Aggies at the plate with a two-hit, three-RBI performance. Nick Mayo, Kory Kinnear and Nelson Santos homered for the Aggies (5-14).

Sellers missed the rest of the season following the Wolfpack game because of a finger injury. He earned a medical redshirt and had made four previous appearances before Thursday’s game, but they were all in relief. He was coming off a rough appearance against High Point, but showed no ill effects.

Sellers did not surrendered a hit until the fifth inning, but did struggle with his control at times, giving up five walks. One of those walks came in the fifth when he walked Ryan Michael with one out. Steven Dannaway tripled to left center to earn the Big Red’s first hit and to end Sellers’ shutout as Michael scored. A passed ball allowed Dannaway to score to cut the Aggies lead to 5-2.

The long ball would put the Aggies back in control of the game. With one out in the sixth, senior Kory Kinnear hit his second home run of the season with a blast to right field. Santos followed Kinnear with a home run of his own that went in the same direction.

Lester Rivenbark continued the hit party against Big Red starter Walker Toma has line a single to left. Beatty’s double to left-center scored Rivenbark even though Beatty was thrown out trying to stretch his double into a triple.

Down 8-2, the Big Red attempted another rally. Dannaway reached on a two-out catcher’s interference play. Sellers then hit Domenic DiRicco with a pitch to put runners on first and second. Brian Kaufman took advantage by hitting a homer to the deepest part of the field to cut the Aggies lead to three runs.

Head coach Keith Shumate then turned to Aggies ace John Primus to seal the win. Primus pitched to four batters and struck out three of them. Calloway found himself in a jam in the ninth with runners at first and second. But he struck out Kaufmann to end the game.

The Aggies return to action this weekend when they face conference foe Norfolk State. The three-game series in Norfolk, Va., will be the Aggies first three conference games of the season.