March 2, 2007

BLACKSBURG, Va. - North Carolina A&T used the pitching of Chris Eggers and a 15-hit attack to snap a 21-game losing streak against Virginia Tech with a 15-3 baseball victory at English Field on Friday. The victory was the Aggies' first in the series since 1983 and only the second overall.

Eggers, who improved to 2-0 with the complete-game victory, stumped the Hokies for most of the afternoon, allowing just four hits, three of which came in the seventh inning when Tech scored its only runs. The redshirt junior right-hander issued a walk to the first batter he faced and then retired 11 men in a row before allowing another base runner. He gave up his first hit - a double by Hokie third baseman Luke Padgett (Lynchburg, Va.) - with one out in the fifth inning. Eggers finished the nine-inning performance with four strikeouts and three walks. Twenty-three of Tech's 27 outs were recorded in the infield.

The only time the Hokies (5-4) were able to get to Eggers was in the seventh. Shortstop Warren Schaeffer (Vandergrift, Pa.) reached on a one-out double in the inning, and then with two outs, Padgett and freshman left fielder Steve Bumbry (Cockeysville, Md.) delivered back-to-back home runs.

North Carolina A&T (2-5) broke on top with two runs in the top of the third inning. After Aggies' catcher Neil Rosser drew a lead-off walk, third baseman Lester Rivenbark singled to put runners at first and second. A&T shortstop Nick Mayo singled home Rosser. Rivenbark, who moved to second on the play, was picked off second base. Mayo then stole second base, moved to third on a groundout and scored the second run of the inning on a wild pitch.

The Aggies added two more runs in the third inning on solo home runs by first baseman Kory Kinnear and center fielder C.J. Beatty. An inning later, an RBI-single by right fielder Charlie Gamble pushed the Aggies' lead to 5-0.

North Carolina A&T added 10 runs over the final three innings, including seven during the eighth and ninth on just three hits. The Aggies got three hits and four runs scored from Mayo and two hits apiece from five other players. Kinnear finished with three RBIs.

Tech starting pitcher Greg Fryman (Gibsonia, Pa.) took the loss after working 6.1 innings. Fryman (1-1) allowed six runs on 10 hits. He struck out six men and walked two.

The Aggies' last win in the series was in Greensboro, N.C., during the 1983 season. North Carolina A&T took an 11-9 win that season. Friday's win was also the first in Blacksburg for the Aggies in 14 tries. Tech leads the series 28-2

The two teams are scheduled to continue their three-game series at English Field on Saturday afternoon at 2.