Aggies earn 13 hits in eight innings

Box  Score
ASHEVILLE, May 9, 2009 – Xavier Macklin hit two home runs to lead the North Carolina A&T baseball team to an 8-3 win over UNC Asheville at Greenwood Field. The game was an excellent tune-up for an upcoming game that could determine whether the Aggies will be the No. 2 seed in the upcoming MEAC Tournament in Ormond Beach, Fla.

George Hines went 2-for-4 with two runs scored and two RBIs. Cyril Daniel, Lester Rivenbark and Marquis Riley also had two hits apiece.

The Bulldogs jumped out to a 2-0 lead on Saturday. A home run laced third inning gave the Aggies the lead, however. Mullins started the power showcase by hitting a one-out home run to left field to put the Aggies on the board. It was Mullins’ second home run of the season. Rivenbark matched Mullins’ feat with a home run of his own that tied the game at 2.

Hines took his turn by hitting a solo blast to center field for his seventh home run of the season. Macklin closed out the Aggies third inning home run derby by powering a pitch over the center-field wall for a 4-2 Aggies lead.

The Aggies added another run in the fifth with another home run as Macklin hit his league-leading 11^th homer by launching a pitch out to left field. UNC Asheville moved to within two runs in its half of the sixth inning with a RBI single to up the middle to score Schumer from second base.

With the threat of rain moving in, the Aggies put the game away in the seventh. Rivenbark opened the inning with a single to center field before moving to second on a wild pitch. Hines singled him home to put the Aggies ahead 6-3. C.J. Beatty put runners on first and second with one out as he walked.

Nick Rogers loaded the bases with an infield single to force a change on the mound by the Bulldogs. Hall came in to face Jaron Neal. Neal hit a groundball to shortstop, which forced out Rogers going to second, but it allowed Rivenbark to score for a 7-3 Aggies advantage.

Daniel closed out the scoring with a RBI single to center field that allowed Beatty to score. The game was called in the bottom of the eighth due to inclement weather. Starter Esterlin Paulino pitched four innings and struck out six. N.C. A&T will play Florida A&M on Monday in a makeup game that will start at 1 p.m. If the Aggies win, they could go into the tournament as high as the No. 2 seed.