EAST GREENSBORO, N.C. – The Holy Cross baseball team fell short in both ends of a doubleheader against North Carolina A&T on Saturday, March 5 at World War Memorial Stadium.
GAME ONE
North Carolina A&T 4, Holy Cross 2
STATS LEADERS:
Holy Cross:
Kirkpatrick (2-for-4, run scored, RBI)
Wang (1-for-3, double, RBI)
DiLauro (5.1 IP, three earned runs, eight strikeouts)
NC A&T:
Hennings (2-for-3, RBI)
W: Carter (2-1)
L: DiLauro (0-2)
S: Demurias (1)
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- After putting on a pair of runners, the Aggies took advantage of a pair of infield popups that got lost in the sun to take a 2-0 lead.
- Freshman second baseman Connor Peek led off the third and was hit by a pitch, later advancing to second on a groundout. Kirkpatrick hit a single to center that scored Peek, and Wang doubled to score Kirkpatrick and tie things up at 2-2.
- After a throwing error, the Aggies tacked on a run before a sacrifice fly scored another run to give North Carolina A&T a 4-2 advantage.
GAME TWO
North Carolina A&T 9, Holy Cross 4
STATS LEADERS:
Holy Cross:
Jones (2-for-3, double)
Wang (2-for-4, two runs scored)
Wolf (1-for-5, double, RBI)
Fletcher (1.0 IP, one hit, two strikeouts, no runs)
NC A&T:
Jarosz (W, 6.0 IP, one earned run, five hits, eight strikeouts)
Bussey (3-for-5, home run, two runs scored)
Maynard (2-for-4, double, home run, three RBI)
W: Jarosz (1-1)
L: Remley (0-2)
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- In the top of the first, senior first baseman Nate Wolf hit a two-out double that scored freshman third baseman Nick Wang, giving the Crusaders a 1-0 lead early.
- The Aggies loaded up the bases in the bottom half of the first, with a pair of two-run singles giving North Carolina A&T an early 4-1 advantage. Another RBI single made it a 5-1 game by the end of the opening inning.
- North Carolina A&T tacked on another pair of runs after Cort Maynard doubled to center field, giving the Aggies a 7-1 lead.
- Sophomore right fielder Jake McElroy reached on an error in the top of the fifth, and moved to third after freshman second baseman Brendan Jones hit a double down the left-field line. McElroy would later score on a groundout.
- In the bottom of the fifth, Cort Maynard responded with a solo homer to center, making it an 8-2 game. Xavier Bussey hit another solo home run to center in the sixth inning for a 9-2 advantage.
- McElroy drew a bases-loaded walk for a run in the top of the eighth.
- Holy Cross loaded up the bases again in the top of the ninth, and sophomore left fielder Patrick Casserly scored after an errant throw by the catcher to third base. However, the Crusaders could not mount any further of a comeback, falling by a score of 9-4.
UP NEXT:
- The Crusaders and Aggies round out the weekend series on Sunday, March 6.
- First pitch is set for 1 p.m. at World War Memorial Stadium.
