Aggies outscore Coppin State 48-4 in three-game sweep

Box Score
BALTIMORE, Md., May 4, 2008 – North Carolina A&T head baseball coach Keith Shumate knows it’s all about winning the MEAC Tournament, but any help along the way is welcomed. On Sunday, the Aggies first helped themselves by defeating Coppin State 17-2 at Joe Cannon Stadium.

The Aggies held up their end of the bargain easily. They outscored the Eagles 48-4 in the three-game series, registered 45 hits and belted six home runs.

Nick Rogers had three of those home runs, including one on Sunday. George Hines also contributed to the Aggies offensive surge by going 3-for-4 with three RBIs and two runs scored. Jeremy Jones had two hits and two RBIs to improve his hitting streak to 11, and Nelson Santos had two hits and scored four times.

Santos jumpstarted the Aggies offense with a single that moved Rogers to third after Rogers earned a one-out walk. Nick May then singled through the left side to score Rogers and give the Aggies a 1-0 advantage. A throwing error on a Jerel Wilson ground ball allowed Santos to score. After Mayo and Wilson stole their respective bases, Hines came to the plate a ripped a two-run RBI single to give the Aggies a 4-0 lead after the second.

The Aggies added another run in third off of a Jones RBI double. Another run was added in the fourth thanks to a James Howard RBI single that gave the Aggies a 6-0 lead. The offense kept rolling from there as N.C. A&T gave starter Marquis Frink more than enough comfort to do what he needed to do. Frink improved to 4-3 on the season by going five innings and striking out six in a game that ended in the seventh inning because the mercy rule.

The Aggies are back in action Wednesday night when they face cross-town rival UNC Greensboro at 6.