AGGIES SWEEP LANCERS IN DOUBLEHEADER

Johnson improves to 7-2 on the mound

Box Score 1

Box Score 2

FARMVILLE, Va., April 19, 2008 – It appears the North Carolina A&T baseball team is settled in on what three arms are definitely going to be crucial as the season grows to a close.

Tim Johnson is one. Marquis Frink is another. And on Saturday, Chris Eggers emerged yet another. The senior out of Sanford helped the Aggies sweep a doubleheader from Longwood Saturday with 7-4 and 4-2 (11 innings) wins at Lancer Stadium.

Eggers earned the save in the first game, and he was the winning pitcher in the second contest. Johnson, Frink and Eggers are 1,2 and 3 in total innings pitched the season. Only Frink (21) has more appearances this season for the Aggies than Eggers’ 19 appearances.

Eggers came on in the 10th inning of the second game when the two teams could not settle a 2-2 tie that was established back in the sixth when Lancers’ first baseman Nick vonGersdorff hit a two-run RBI single up the middle off Aggies starter John Primus to Justin Morreim and Brant Jones.

Eggers ran into trouble right away in the 10th. He walked Robbie Bailey and Jones reached on a fielder’s choice. The runners moved into scoring position on a sacrifice bunt. Eggers intentionally walked Lancers clean-up hitter Phil Cerreto to load the bases for vonGersdorff. But this time vonGersdorff could not come up with the big hit as he grounded into an inning-ending double play.

When Eggers returned to the hill in the 11th, the Aggies had given him the lead. N.C. A&T designated hitter Jeremy Jones started the rally with a one-out single to left. Jones moved himself into scoring position by stealing second. McIntyre got him home with a RBI single to left, advancing to second on the throw to home plate. Nick Rogers took advantage of the overthrow by singling home McIntyre for a two-run Aggies lead.

Eggers closed out the Lancers in order in the 11th to improve to 2-5 on the season. Of course, Frink made an appearance and pitched three innings of scoreless relief before Eggers took over. Offensively, Rogers went 2-for-5 with two RBI. McIntyre went 2-for-5, drove in a run and scored twice.

Johnson improved to 7-2 in the first game by going seven innings, striking out seven and giving up just one walk. Eggers pitched the final two innings of the game, gave up just one hit and held the Lancers scoreless for his first save of the season. C.J. Beatty hit his ninth home run of the season and was 3-for-4 with three runs scored and two RBIs. Joe McIntyre went 3-for-5 with two RBIs and a run scored.

Both men had RBI doubles in the fourth to help the Aggies get off to a 7-2 lead. The two teams will play one game Sunday at 1 p.m., to conclude the series. The Aggies improved to 17-23 on the season after winning their third straight. Longwood is 20-17.