Conover records six hits over the weekend

CONYERS, Ga., February 7, 2009 – The North Carolina A&T softball team is picked to win the MEAC Southern Division in 2009. Over the weekend the Aggies showed that their selection was a wise choice.

The Aggies swept through the SWAC/MEAC Challenge held in Conyers, Ga., by going 4-0 against Alcorn State (4-3), Jackson State (5-0), Mississippi Valley State (3-2, 8 innings) and Grambling (4-2). The Aggies have never lost a game in the two-year existence of the challenge, where they are 8-0.

Junior Tangala Conover led the way for the Aggies in the challenge. She hit .462 with three RBIs, including the game-winning hit in the Aggies extra innings victory over MVSU. Junior Yahamma White, who scored the game-winning run in the same game, hit .438 and scored four runs. Sophomore Ryanne Hill hit .429 over the weekend and recorded the Aggies only home run over the four-game event.

In the Aggies win over Alcorn State, Hill hit a two-run RBI double as a part of a three-run fifth inning. Sophomore Jennifer Luper sealed the win as she left Brave runners on first and second by striking out Napau Gouveia to end the game.

Against Jackson State, Junior pitcher Sasha Philpot struck out eight in a complete-game shutout of the Tigers. Offensively, Hill led the Aggies by going 3-for-4 with two RBI, including a solo home run in the third inning.

Like last season’s SWAC/MEAC Challenge game against Mississippi Valley State, it took extra innings before the Aggies were able to pull out the win. The Aggies overcame a two-run deficit with a two-out rally in the seventh. Channing Statham’s RBI double was followed by Brittney Reddick’s RBI single that scored Statham to tie the game. In the bottom of the eighth, Conover hit a two-out RBI single to center for the game-winner.

The Aggies closed out the challenge against Grambling. Philpot overcame walking eight Tigers to earn her second victory of the season. Philpot helped herself by striking out five to give her 13 strikeouts for the weekend. Lillian Bullock and Conover had two hits apiece.

The Aggies return to action Feb. 21-22 in the Elon Invitational in Elon, N.C. The Aggies open the tournament against Southern Illinois at 11 a.m., Saturday.