ASHEVILLE, N.C. | The Alabama A&M University baseball team collected 10 hits but could not overcome a pair of big innings by UNC Asheville, falling 8-4 on Friday afternoon at Greenwood Field.
Alabama A&M (5-9), which saw its three-game winning streak come to an end, received a strong offensive effort from
AJ Anderson, who led the Bulldogs with four hits on the day, while
Wilmer Cuevas drove in a pair of runs.
Keondre Fields crossed the plate twice as AAMU battled throughout the contest.
UNC Asheville (7-7) used a four-run third inning to erase an early deficit before adding three more in the fifth to create separation.
Alabama A&M struck first in the top of the third inning. With runners in scoring position,
Brycen Hammonds delivered an RBI single to give the Bulldogs a 1-0 advantage.
The lead was short-lived as UNC Asheville answered in the bottom half of the frame. The Bulldogs issued a pair of walks before the Bulldogs capitalized with timely hitting, plating four runs to take a 4-1 lead.
The Bulldogs trimmed the deficit in the fifth inning.
Wilmer Cuevas delivered an RBI to pull Alabama A&M within two at 4-2, but UNC Asheville responded in the bottom of the inning with three runs, highlighted by an RBI triple and a sacrifice fly to extend the lead to 7-2.
Alabama A&M continued to battle late and pushed across two runs in the ninth inning to cut the deficit to 8-4, but the rally came up short as UNC Asheville secured the win.
AJ Anderson paced the Bulldogs at the plate, going 4-for-5, while
Zak Rice added two hits and an RBI. Cuevas finished with two RBI as Alabama A&M finished with 10 hits in the contest.
On the mound,
Edyn Barber (0-3) was charged with the loss after allowing four runs over 2.2 innings of work.
Evan Hurlburt and
William Tarpley combined to provide relief for the Bulldogs.
UP NEXT
Alabama A&M will continue its four-game series with UNC Asheville on Saturday with a doubleheader starting at 11 a.m. (CT) from Greenwood Baseball Field.
For complete coverage of Alabama A&M Athletics – Huntsville's only Division I program - check out the official homepage at www.aamusports.com. Remember to follow us on social media: Instagram (@aamuathletics), Facebook (aamubulldogathletics), Twitter (@_aamuathletics) and TikTok (aamuathletics).
