Box Score     Box Score 2
GREENSBORO, March 21, 2007 – It didn’t matter if the North Carolina A&T softball team went with youth or experience on the mound Wednesday afternoon. The result was the same. The Aggies received their best two pitching performances of the season as they shutout Winston-Salem State twice in doubleheader action, 4-0 and 6-0.

Freshman ace Sasha Philpot handled the shutout duties in the first game, pitching a complete-game three-hitter, while walking two and striking out five batters. Senior Adia Dial was the winner of Game 2. For Philpot (8-5), it was second straight strong outing. Philpot did not allow an earned run to Western Carolina a week ago, and has not allowed an earned run to cross the plate in the last 16 innings she has pitched.

Philpot was dominant on Wednesday, she did not allow a Rams runner to get to third base until the sixth inning. The Aggies were still in a scoreless tie going into the fourth despite Philpot’s brilliance. Junior Chaola Simmons started to change that by starting off the Aggies fourth with a bunt single.

Tabitha Veney sacrificed her to second before freshman slugger Lillian Bullock singled her home for a 1-0 lead. The Aggies added some insurance thanks largely to Simmons. She led off the sixth with a triple to right field. After a Jessie Larson walk put runners at first and third, Bullock delivered again with an RBI double to right field, scoring Simmons. Freshman Britney Reddick took care of the rest of the Aggies offense in the first game with a two-run single to center field that scored Larson and Bullock.

Simmons was 2-for-4 in the first game with two runs scored, while Bullock and Reddick had two RBI apiece. In Game 2, Simmons would help spark the Aggies offense again.

With the Aggies leading 1-0 going into the third, Simmons hit a slow roller down the first base line that she beat out for a base hit. An error by the Rams third baseman, put Simmons on third and Dial on second. Larson loaded the bases with a walk, setting up Simmons’ score on a wild pitch by Rams starter Amber Shore. Veney followed with a sacrifice fly to center field that scored Dial to give the Aggies a 3-0 lead.

The Aggies concluded their scoring in the third when Sylvia Felder reached on an error that scored Lawson for a 4-0 lead.

Dial (3-6) would take care of things from there on the mound. The senior recorded her fourth career shutout by pitching a two-hit shutout that saw her walk two and strike out three. Dial retired 12 out of the first 13 batters she faced on Wednesday.  

The Aggies improved to 12-17 on the season. The Aggies return to action when they host Florida A&M on Friday in a 2 p.m., doubleheader.