GREENSBORO (March 18, 2018) – In what was an exciting series that included walk-off homers, three one-run games and numerous rallies, North Carolina A&T baseball rallied from behind Sunday to win three-game series with an 11-7 win over St. Bonaventure at War Memorial Stadium. The Aggies scored two runs in the eighth inning to secure the win and Jason Jenkins came on in the ninth to get the save. The Aggies (8-12) turned a season-high four double plays.
“Today was a team win,” said N.C. A&T coach Ben Hall. “I am really proud of our guys. It was a contested series. They played well and it was a good battle all weekend."
Sophomore right-hander Michael Johnson continued the great start to his 2018 season. He did not get a decision, but he pitched seven innings, struck out five, walked two and surrendered one earned run. Senior reliever K.J. McAlister (RHP) picked up the win and improved to 1-2 after pitching a scoreless eighth.
"Michael Johnson has been really good for us on Sundays giving us a chance to win and that is what he did today," said Hall. "He battled through his start and I am also proud of K.J. and Jason both coming in and pitching us clean. They held the game there and gave us a chance to score those late runs.”
St. Bonaventure held a 3-2 lead after the fifth inning, but the Aggies used six hits in the eighth inning to rally.
An RBI single to center field by senior Greg White scored senior Myles Sowell to tie the game at 3. Sophomore Zach McLean singled to left field for the game-winning run to score White for the Aggies 4-3 lead. N.C. A&T improved to 6-1 this season when leading after the eighth inning. Jenkins did allow the tying run to reach by walking Jeff Palczewski. But Jenkins got pinch-hitter Jake Foden to ground out to end the game.
Sophomore Camden Williamson was 3-for-3 at the plate with a walk and a run scored. Williamson was 7-for-8 for the series with five RBI. White posted two hits and an RBI.
“The main thing is to play as a team and get some quality at-bats,” said Williamson. "Picking up our teammates is important especially in the last inning. We came back after having a guy thrown out at home and then we had some hits after that that helped us pull out the win.”
Williamson singled to right-center field for the Aggies first hit and then later scored on an RBI double to left field by senior Jarrett Norman. Their second run came on an RBI single to left-center by senior Forest Kimbrell bringing in Norman from second base for a 2-0 Aggies lead. The Bonnies (4-10) went on to score a run in the third inning on a Ryan MacCarrick's RBI infield single that scored Sam Fuller. Mike Magnanti singled up the middle for the Bonnies two runs in the fifth.
“You have to trust your defense and I trust all nine of them including myself,” said Johnson. “We do make some errors which I am okay with. But when we do make errors I try to force a ground ball on the next batter because I trust my team.”
N.C. A&T plays UNC Greensboro for an evening neutral site meeting with their crosstown rival at New Bridge Bank Park Wednesday at 6.
