CHARLESTON, South Carolina – Two three-point homers since sophomore camden jackson weren’t enough as North Carolina’s A&T Baseball fell to the Charleston South Buccaneers, 13-8, in Game 1 of the Big South Conference Weekend Series Friday night at Nielson Field.

For the second straight game, Jackson’s first three-point shot came in the first inning.

Junior outfielder Cameraman Brantley started the game with a single before the junior infielder Cort Maynard reached on an error by Bucs first baseman Austen Izzio. after junior Anthony Henning on the ground, Jackson walked up to the plate and torched a ball on the right field wall to put the Aggies (10-15, 0-4 Big South) up 3-0 early.

CSU (11-17, 3-5) came on the board in the second at home when junior Ajay Sczepkowski drilled a two-run homer over the fence, cutting the Aggies’ lead to one, 3-2. They kept that momentum going in the third, scoring six runs on six hits coupled with an error.

Young left-hander Daniel Carter got the start for A&T on the mound but could only go 2.1 innings allowing seven runs, six earned, on seven hits before he left. Four of the Bucs’ six hits in the third went for extra bases, including a brace from Sczepkowski that scored the fourth run of the inning to make it 6-3.

Peyton Mills picked mid with Sczepkowski in third to make it 8-3 before a defensive pick at second base finally ended the period.

It was too late, however, as the Bucs’ bats had already warmed up. They continued to score points, scoring five more in the fourth. The frame was highlighted by a three-point shot from Mills as CSU took a 13-3 lead after four.

The Aggies made a respectable effort on a comeback from the eighth.

Maynard hit another error, this one by Sczepkowski at shortstop, to start the inning. Hennings followed with a brace before back-to-back strikeouts. Fortunately, two-outlet production was something A&T excelled at in 2022.

Second year TJ Ash roped a single from the opposite field to two outs on the left field line, scoring Maynard and moving Hennings to third. Then, second Chet Sikeswho returned after about a month out with injury, chose center field to score Hennings, making it 13-5.

Jackson erased another bombshell three-pointer in the ninth inning, but it wasn’t enough as the Aggies couldn’t complete the rally effort. Jackson finished with his two home runs and a record six RBIs. He was the only A&T hitter with more than one hit.

Sczepkowski and Mills stepped up significantly for the Bucs, each recording three hits apiece and combining seven RBIs.