What an up and down week this past week turned out to be. Coming off victories against North Carolina Central in our two previous games, we hosted cross-town rival Old Dominion University on Tuesday. Behind great pitching, timely hits, and the ability to capitalize on some ODU mistakes, we were able to pull out a great 12-5 win leading into our opening conference weekend at North Carolina A&T. But the Aggies ended our three-game winning streak by sweeping three games from us by scores of 8-4, 3-2, and 8-4. We out-hit our opponents in two of the three games and had as many hits in the third, but we were just unable to put back-to-back hits together to plate runs in key situations. It was a tough weekend following our big win against ODU, but the great thing about baseball is you don’t have to wait very long to play again and try to get back in the win column. 

We will play Campbell University on Tuesday, a pretty good 16 – 9 team that is new to the Spartan schedule. The school has about 3,900 students on the main campus located in Buies Creek, N.C., between Durham and Fayetteville. Campbell has competed very well against schools that we face. They swept and outscored MEAC opponent Maryland Eastern Shore in a 33 – 3 lopsided three-game series. They took two of three from Savannah State, scoring 30 runs, and then outscored A & T in two of three games by scoring 32 runs and giving up 15.  They have a 13 – 4 home record.   

We should expect an aggressive offensive game plan from them. To slow them down, we must keep their lead-off hitter and left fielder Chris Bangi off the bases. He is a patient hitter with 24 walks and a very good base runner with 20 stolen bases out of 23 attempts. We must also slow down their leading offensive player in first baseman and number three hitter Alan Denman, who can boast a .452 batting average, .712 slugging percentage and .549 on-base average.  This is good notice for our pitchers and hitters to prepare to bring their “A” game.  

We get to play Coppin State at Marty L. Miller Field for a three-game series this coming weekend.  We hope to get our first conference win after a disappointing start against the A & T Aggies. We out-hit and out-fielded the Aggies, but could not put good back-to-back plays together to get any momentum.  

Coppin has a 7 – 11 record with wins over Virginia State, North Carolina Central and Maryland Eastern Shore. They will look to pick up additional wins starting on Friday at 1:00 pm behind their leaders in pitcher Jim Vagnier and Harry Williams, their senior first baseman who has a .455 batting average.  

I am still looking for a three-game home sweep. Will this be our weekend?  

Thanks for reading.

#7 Brandon Hairston