Softball 4/5/2008 4:00:00 AM MEAC Media Relations

Spartans Pick Up First Conference Win

The Norfolk State softball team won its first Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference game of the season with an 11-3 rout of Florida A&M on Saturday morning at the NSU Softball Field. The game was called after five innings per the eight-run mercy rule.

The teams played a single game on Saturday because of the threat of heavy rains in the Norfolk area. They will play the doubleheader of the three-game series on Sunday beginning at noon.

FAMU (10-28, 0-1 MEAC) came out confident to start the game and got three runs in the first two innings. Ashley Smith hit an RBI double to left center to get the Lady Rattlers on the board in the top of the first.

Shortstop Joyce Harold hit a solo home run to center field in the top of the second to put FAMU up 2-0 and three batters later, Nikki Terryn’s single to center allowed Brittney Newby to get home safely. But those would be the only three runs the Lady Rattlers would score.

NSU (9-20, 1-3 MEAC) came alive in the bottom of the second, scoring three runs to tie the game. With two outs and two runners on, Gladys Cabeza hit her second triple of the season to score Brianeisha Eure and Amelia Lewis. Cabeza then scored on an error by Harold.

The Spartans got a run across in the third and exploded for five in the fourth, which was highlighted by Jackie Peaton’s three-run shot over the left field fence that gave NSU a 9-3 lead.

NSU tacked on two more runs in the fifth, with Ashley Archer hitting an RBI single to center field to end the game.

Spartan starter Ky Brown got the win after allowing four hits and three runs in three innings. Reliever Sarah Wittwer threw two scoreless innings giving up one hit and walking two.

Tiffany Chan gave up eight hits, nine runs (eight earned), and walked four in four innings to take the loss.

Cabeza led the Spartan offense by going 3-for-3 with three runs and two RBI. Wittwer went 2-for-3 with two RBI and scored once. Peaton had a game-high three RBI.

Harold was the only Lady Rattler with more than one hit. She was 2-for-3 with a run and an RBI.