Smith pitches 6.2 innings of strong relief

Box Score
NORFOLK, Va., March 22, 2009 – A costly error in the ninth inning helped the North Carolina A&T baseball team defeat Norfolk State 7-6 Sunday afternoon at Marty L. Miller Field. The Aggies took two out of three from the Spartans to start the conference season 2-1. The Aggies are 5-13 overall.

Xavier Macklin and Chris Mullins led the Aggies with two RBIs apiece. C.J. Beatty, Lester Rivenbark and Mullins had two hits apiece. Nick Rogers (2-2) came in and earned the win on the mound after Jonathan Smith pitched 6.2 innings of solid relief that included surrendering just one run on four hits.

With game tied at 6 in the top of the ninth, Norfolk State relief pitcher Ryan Davis got Ronald Perry to ground out to second and he struck out George Hines. But C.J. Beatty kept the inning going by doubling down the right field line. The Spartans had a chance to get out of the inning as a groundball hit by Macklin rolled toward third base. Chris Joyce mishandled the grounder, however, allowing Beatty to score from second for the go ahead run.

Joyce’s error marked the second straight day the Aggies benefited from a late inning NSU error. In the second game of a doubleheader on Saturday, an error extended the sixth inning for the Aggies with two outs. The Aggies used it to score two runs in a 4-3 win. After the Spartans’ mishap on Sunday, Rogers stuck out the side in the ninth to seal the win.

After giving up five runs in the first, Nick Boles was replaced by Jonathan Smith. Smith’s strong outing helped the Aggies get back in the game and take the lead. In the second, A Macklin double scored Ronald Perry and Hines to give the Aggies a 6-5 lead. The Spartans tied the game at 6 in the bottom of the third on a fielder’s choice hit by Andrew Suttmiller. After getting out of a bases loaded jam in the third, Smith didn’t allow past second base the rest of his outing.