Aggies outscore Bulls 28-8 in three-game series

Box Score
GREENSBORO, February 24, 2008 – North Carolina A&T combated the cold weather Sunday afternoon by being in constant motion on the base pads.

The Aggies had another superb offensive effort against Buffalo to complete a three-game series sweep of the Bulls with a 9-3 win at War Memorial Stadium. The Aggies are off to a 3-0 start for the first time in the 12-year era of head coach Keith Shumate. Jeremy Jones led the Aggies by going 1-for-2 with two RBIs and three runs scored. Nick Rogers was 2-for-3 with two RBIs and C.J. Beatty was 2-for-3 with two runs scored and two RBIs.

“We don’t think about the fact that we’re 3-0 because we go into every game as if we are 0-0 because it’s about the game in front of you,’’ said Shumate. “We are 3-0 but these are non-conference games. They are designed to help us get better for our conference season. So if we had come away 0-3, I still would believe we have a pretty good baseball team.”

Although the Aggies did not commit an error on Sunday, Shumate said his defense isn’t where he wants it because the team hasn’t been able to get on the field much with the cold and inclement weather. The winter season has not slowed down the Aggie bats, however. The Aggies compiled 28 runs in the series with 33 hits and 11 extra base hits.

The Aggies jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first on a two-run RBI double by Rogers. The future of the Aggies pitching staff, 6-foot-7 Donald Howerton, made his first anticipated career start for the Aggies. He ran into trouble in the second as the Bulls attempted to answer the Aggies first-inning rally. Howerton gave up a lead-off single to Nick Walczak and then walked Hivam Bahn to put runners on first and second. It seemed Howerton would work his way out of the inning as he got Brian Randazzo to ground into a double play. But Walczak advanced to third, which set up a RBI single by Eric Flynn to cut the Aggies lead to 2-1.

The Aggies, however, would give Howerton the cushion he needed in the third thanks to some Bull mishaps. Senior Phillip Brewington led off the inning with a single to center field. It appeared Mayo would follow by grounding into a double play, but Randazzo dropped the throw from shortstop Jacob Rosenbeck at second, allowing Brewington to slide in safely.

McIntyre put the runners in scoring position with a slower roller to short that advanced them. Jones finally made the Bulls pay for their mistake by rocketing a single into right field to score Brewington and Mayo for a 4-1 Aggies lead. After a ground out and a Jones stolen base, Betty singled to center to score Jones. The Aggies ended their scoring rally by getting another gift from the Bulls.

On a Nelson Santos fly ball it appeared Bulls right fielder Adam Skonieczki would secure the ball in his glove to end the inning. But the ball popped out of his glove and Beatty, who was running on the crack of the bat, scored from first to give the Aggies a 6-1 lead.

Howerton (1-0) did walk four batters, but he pitched well in his Aggies debut by going six innings, striking out two and giving up eight hits. The Aggies will host Appalachian State 3 p.m., Tuesday from War Memorial Stadium.