North Carolina A&T broke open a tight game Maryland Eastern Shore in the fourth inning and went on to 14-4 win at War Memorial Stadium Sunday.

 

With the game tied, 2-2, the Aggies (8-24, 4-7 MEAC) tallied 10 runs over the final four innings to avert a sweep at the hands of the Hawks (10-26, 8-4).UMES was gunning for its first series sweep of a team other than Coppin State in head coach Will Gardner's three-year tenure at the helm.

 

Sophomore designated hitter Bryan Chaikowsky led the Hawks at the plate, going 2-for-3 with two hits a run and an RBI, while sophomore third baseman

Elliott Alston also had two hits to go along with two runs.

 

Four different Aggies had three hits apiece and Xavier Macklin was 3-for-5 with a run scored and five RBIs.

 

Nick Boles (2-2) pitched 4.1 innings for the win. He gave up two hits and three runs with five walks and five strikeouts. Freshman Karim Gonzalez fell to 1-5 with the loss for the Hawks. Gonzalez surrendered seven runs on 13 hits.

 

C.J. Beatty and Jaron Neal each had RBI base hits in the bottom of the first to give the Aggies a 2-0 with one out though Gonzalez got a strikeout and flyout in quick succession to end the inning.

 

UMES knotted the game at two in the top of the fourth. Consecutive doubles to start the inning by Alston and Chaikowsky plated the Hawks first run. After a Franklin Armstrong moved Chsikowsky to third. Freshman catcher Ben Vasko lifted a fly to center deep enough to chase the tying run in from third.

 

A&T retook the lead with three in their half of the frame, all with two outs. With runners on first and third, Nick Rogers singled up the middle to score James Howard. The Aggies had runners on second and third when Rogers swiped second and were able to cash in when Neal knocked a two-RBI single to center.

 

The Hawks got to within 5-3 in the fifth when Josh Dunham scored on an error by Cyril Daniel at first base with two gone in the inning.

 

That was as close as the Hawks got, though. N.C. A&T two runs each in the bottom of the fifth and seventh innings, before closing the game with five in the eighth. The game was called with one out in the inning and the bases loaded.

 

The Aggies had 20 hits on the days while the Hawks had seven.

 

UMES is back in action Monday traveling to West Virginia for a 4 p.m. game with the Mountaineers of the BIG EAST.