SHELBY, N.C. (Interstat) — Andrew Tinsley drove in five runs and the North Carolina A&T Aggies erupted for 10 runs on nine hits, defying projections to defeat the Gardner-Webb Runnin’ Bulldogs 10-6 in nonconference baseball Tuesday night at John Henry Moss Stadium.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a low-scoring 3-2 Gardner-Webb victory, giving the Runnin’ Bulldogs a 62.8% probability to win. Instead, the Aggies (5-18) scored early and often, building a 10-1 lead by the sixth inning to secure just their fifth win of the season. Gardner-Webb fell to 13-12.

The most important sequence of the game came immediately, as North Carolina A&T seized control in the top of the first inning. After two quick outs, the Aggies loaded the bases via a hit batter and two walks. Tinsley, the Aggies’ left fielder, then crushed a three-run homer to left field, staking his team to a 3-0 lead before Gardner-Webb recorded a third out.

Tinsley, the clear standout, finished 2-for-3 with a walk, the home run and five RBIs, continuing a powerful stretch at the plate. In his previous four games, he had homered three times and driven in seven runs.

The Aggies extended their lead to 5-0 in the third. With two on and two out, shortstop JT Taylor delivered a two-run single. He later added an RBI double as part of a three-run sixth inning, finishing with three RBIs.

The 5-0 advantage was more than enough for Aggies reliever Braxton Davis, who turned in a pivotal performance. Entering in the fourth inning, Davis pitched three perfect frames, striking out two and extinguishing any early momentum for the Runnin’ Bulldogs.

Gardner-Webb scratched out a run in the third on a wild pitch and added another in the seventh on an RBI single from Alec Camarillo. The Runnin’ Bulldogs then mounted a late rally in the eighth and ninth innings against the Aggies’ bullpen.

In the eighth, Thad Ector hit a two-run single to cut the deficit to 10-4. In the ninth, Gardner-Webb capitalized on a fielding error to score two more runs on a single by Joe Ripepi, making it 10-6 with the bases loaded and only one out. North Carolina A&T summoned Diego Barrett from the bullpen, and he recorded the final two outs, including a strikeout, to seal the victory.

Despite using seven pitchers, Gardner-Webb’s staff struggled with command, issuing 10 walks and hitting three batters. Relievers Colby Putnam, Brendan Lysik, Connor Busson, Devin Pressley and Jack Iannibelli combined for 4 1/3 scoreless innings of relief, allowing just one hit and striking out eight, but the early damage was too severe to overcome.

North Carolina A&T will host Georgetown for a three-game series starting Friday. Gardner-Webb opens a series at home against High Point on Friday. The two teams are scheduled to meet again next Tuesday in Greensboro.