ELON, N.C. (Interstat) — Gavin Sentell and two relievers combined on a two-hit shutout over the final eight innings, and the North Carolina A&T Aggies capitalized on two early runs to edge the Elon Phoenix 2-1 in a Colonial Athletic Association baseball opener Friday evening at Walter C. Latham Park.

The Aggies (3-10, 1-0 CAA), who entered the game having lost 10 of their first 12, managed only two hits against Elon pitching but made them count in the first two innings against Phoenix starter Brian Strange. The early offense proved just enough behind a dominant pitching performance that defied pregame projections which heavily favored Elon.

Sentell, named the top star for North Carolina A&T, delivered his best outing of the young season. The right-hander pitched five strong innings, allowing one earned run on seven hits with two strikeouts. He worked out of trouble repeatedly before handing off to a flawless bullpen.

The most important part of the game came in the bottom of the fifth inning, with Sentell protecting a 2-0 lead. Elon (6-7, 0-1) loaded the bases with one out on a hit batter, a single and a walk. Jose Mariano was then hit by a pitch, forcing in Jackson Alford to cut the deficit to 2-1. With the bases still loaded and the potential go-ahead run on base, Sentell induced a swinging strikeout from cleanup hitter Michael Denty to escape further damage and preserve the lead.

From there, the Aggies’ bullpen was untouchable. Aiden Hansen followed Sentell with three perfect innings of relief, striking out one. Kobie Cushing then worked a scoreless ninth for the save, stranding the tying run at second base after a leadoff single. Elon, which out-hit North Carolina A&T 7-2, left nine runners on base.

The Aggies scored all the runs they would need in the first two frames. Leadoff batter Anthony DiCarlo walked, advanced to second on a wild pitch and scored on Tyler Smith’s two-out RBI single through the right side in the first. In the second, Jalen Wyche walked, moved to third on two separate plays and scored on a sacrifice fly by Sebastian Amaro.

Strange was the hard-luck loser for Elon, surrendering just one hit — Smith’s first-inning single — over seven innings. He allowed two runs, walked two and struck out five. Sam Nomura provided two hitless innings of relief.

Brian DuRoff had two of Elon’s seven hits. The Phoenix threatened again in the sixth, putting runners at second and third with one out following a single and an error, but Hansen entered and got a groundout and a pop-out to end the inning.

The victory marked a strong start to conference play for North Carolina A&T after a difficult non-conference slate. The teams are scheduled to continue their three-game series Saturday and Sunday.