Conover’s RBI single leads Aggies to victory over Mississippi Valley State

Box Score vs. Alcorn State               Box Score vs. Jackson State
Box Score vs. Southern                     Box Score vs. MVSU
GREENSBORO, N.C., February 10, 2008 – The North Carolina A&T softball team started off the 2008 season by winning all four its games in the MEAC/SWAC Challenge in Marietta, Ga. The Aggies closed out the Challenge by winning a nail-biting 10-9 extra innings game over perennial SWAC power Mississippi Valley State.

Freshman Ryanne Hill went 3-for-5 with three runs scored and two RBI for the Aggies. Sophomore Tangala Conover hit the game-winning RBI in the 10^th inning. According to international rules, in extra innings the runner who made the last out in the previous inning is automatically placed on second.

For the Aggies the runner was Bianca Alsobrook. Senior Chaola Simmons moved Alsobrook to third on a sacrifice bunt. With one out, Jessie Larson walked, setting Conover’s game-winning hit that was ripped to left field to score Alsobrook. Freshman pitcher Jennifer Luper (2-0) earned her second win of the season when she got Shaina Mitchell to fly out to second with runners on first and third.

“It was a back-and-forth game and the ladies really showed a lot of heart,’’ said head coach Mamie Jones. “Considering it was the first few games of the season, I thought they played well.”

The Aggies had to fight off numerous Bulldog comebacks. The Aggies led 7-5 going into the bottom of the seventh. But MVSU’s Mitchell led the inning off with a double, which was followed by a two-run homer by Erica Harden that tied the game at 7.

Both teams went scoreless in the eighth, but the Aggies took a 9-7 lead as Conover and Hill both scored on Bulldog throwing errors. But the Bulldogs would again kept the game going by tying the game in the bottom half of the inning. Maura Moed opened the inning by stealing third and scored on a Mitchell sacrifice fly. Hardin then followed with another home run to send the game into a 10^th inning, which set up Conover’s heroics.

“Our team had no idea about Mississippi Valley’s history or reputation,’’ said Jones. “They just went out and played, so I’m really proud of them.”

The SWAC won the challenge, but the Aggies won four of the nine games the MEAC was credited for. The Aggies opened the challenge by defeating Alcorn State 4-3 on a throwing error that scored White in the bottom of the seventh. Hours later, the Aggies got two home runs from Lillian Bullock, including a three-run homer to beat Jackson State 11-6.

Before beating MVSU on Sunday, the Aggies defeated Southern 7-1 behind a grand slam home run from Hill. The Aggies are off to their best start in school history. Larson was 6-for-13 throughout the challenge, and Bullock, Hill and Britney Reddick had six RBIs apiece over the four-game challenge.