Luper is 8-0 in her last eight starts

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GREENSBORO, April 15, 2008 – The main thing North Carolina A&T softball coach Mamie Jones loves about freshman pitcher Jennifer Luper is that she is adamant about becoming better by developing new pitches and strategies on getting batters out.

The exciting thing Jones and other Aggies love about Luper is that while all the developing is happening, she’s dominated every opponent she has faced over the last three weeks. Add Elon to the list.

Luper pitched a complete-game four-hit shutout to lead N.C. A&T to a 6-0 win over the Phoenix at the Lady Aggies Softball Complex on Tuesday. The Phoenix turned the tables on the Aggies in the second by shutting out the Aggies 10-0 in the second game of the doubleheader. The Aggies move to 23-13-1 on the season, while the Phoenix saw its record go to 18-19.

In the first game, Luper struck out four on 98 pitches to improve to 15-3 on the season. The Fort Mill, S.C., is 8-0 in her last eight starts with 42 strike outs and a miniscule 0.73 ERA in 48 innings pitched. On the offensive end, she got help from sophomore Lillian Bullock who went 2-for-2 with two runs scored in the first game. She also got a boost from a two-run homer off the bat of fellow freshman Ryanne Hill. Senior Chaola Simmons added two RBIs.

Bullock started her perfect Game 1 at the plate by adding to the Aggies triple totals in the second inning. The Aggies came into Tuesday’s ranked second in the nation in triples per game. Bullock, who ranks fourth in the nation in triples, hit her seventh triple of the season to set up Channing Statham’s RBI single to right field to give the Aggies a 1-0 lead. Statham’s hit put Bianca Alsobrook, who reached on a walk, on third with one out.

Simmons brought both runners home on another Aggies triple. Simmons’ triple went down the right field line to give the Aggies a 3-0 advantage. Luper held the Phoenix to one hit between the third and the fifth to help the Aggies lead hold up.

The Aggies padded their lead in the fifth. Hill, who is the reigning MEAC Rookie of the Week, lifted the first pitch she saw from Phoenix reliever Carol Lilly over the left field fence to give the Aggies a 5-0 lead. It was Hill’s fifth home run of the season. Luper finished off the Phoenix in the seventh by setting the non-conference foe down in order for her third shutout of the season.

Melanie Helterbran (6-7), who lost Game 1 after being chased off the mound after two innings, came back strong in Game 2 by holding the to two hits. Meanwhile, the Phoenix chipped away at the Aggies by recording 16 hits with only one of them being an extra base hit.

N.C. A&T is back in action on Saturday when it plays in starts a crucial three-game series against Bethune-Cookman in Daytona Beach, Fla. The three-game series could decide the MEAC South Division regular-season title. The Wildcats are 6-0 in the conference, while the Aggies are 5-1. The two teams will play a 1 p.m., doubleheader on Saturday and conclude the series Sunday at noon.