Florida A&M came out of the loser’s bracket to win two games as they defeated Bethune-Cookman 4-0 in game one and 9-1 in game two in five innings to win their third Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) title in the decade and their ninth overall, Saturday afternoon at the Ormond Beach Sports Complex.
In game one, FAMU out hit B-CU 9-2, with both Melissa Oliphant and Jasmine Donaldson finishing with two hits each, while Ashton Hinds and Simone Ceasar finished with one hit a piece for the Lady Wildcats.
Once again FAMU used the strong arm of Amanda Reyes (22-18) , the 2009 Outstanding Player, who went the distance, allowing only two hits and striking out two.
“Amanda pitched an amazing series ? came out every game prepared. She is talented and was able to change her game plan and work the schemes....she was amazing,” said second year pitching coach Laurie Goodart.
“I feel great, we went through the whole season prepared for this moment and to win it all is incomparable, said Reyes.” “The key to championship was not about one person but our team as a whole. It took all of us to get here and it took all of us to win it.”
Allison Garcia (16-26) who earned an all-tournament selection, took the loss for the B-CU as she gave two earned runs and struck out three in six innings of work.
In a scoreless match up for the first three innings of the first game, the Lady Rattlers broke up the scoring drought as they scored a pair of runs in the top of the fourth on a Nicole Terryn single up the middle. Brianna Weaver and Melissa Oliphant, both crossed the plate, giving FAMU a 2-0 lead.
The Lady Rattlers plated two more runs in the top of the sixth as Courtney Harold scored on a B-CU infielder’s error, while Shayla Clark scored on a Jasmine Donaldson single for the 4-0 final.
In the second and deciding game, FAMU pounded out 12 hits, while B-CU tallied seven.
FAMU (30-30) had a trio of players to finish with two hits each in Rhianna Green, Alesha Wells and Joyce Harold.
B-CU (20-37) also had a trio of players to finish with two hits each, led by All-Tournament performer Sabrina Ferguson.
Reyes picked up the win for the Lady Rattlers as she gave up five hits, one earned run and struck out three in five innings of work.
Allison received the loss for the Lady Wildcats as she gave up nine hits, nine earned runs, while striking out six in five innings.
FAMU grabbed the early lead in the top of the first as both Wells and Green scored on a Brianna Weaver single up the middle, giving the Lady Rattlers a 2-0 lead.
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The Lady Rattlers would plate five runs in the top of the second as Green singled up the middle scoring Harold, followed by a Wells single to the left side scoring both Donaldson and Raven Johnson. Green scored when Weaver hit into a double play, giving FAMU a 7-0 advantage.
Ferguson would score B-CU’s only run of the game on a Tameika Jonas single in the bottom of the fourth, cutting FAMU’s lead to 7-1.
In the top of the fifth, a Harold two-run homer scoring Clark would give the Lady Rattlers a 9-1 win.
Florida A&M earns the conference’s automatic qualification in the NCAA Softball Championship and will await their next opponent.
The 2009 NCAA Softball Selection Show will air on Sunday, May 10 at 10 p.m., and will be re broadcasted again on ESPN News at 10:30 a.m.
For more information on MEAC Softball, log on to www.meacsports.com.
2009 MEAC All-Conference Softball All-Tournament as follows:
Player Institution
Allie Garcia Bethune-Cookman
Amanda Reyes Florida A&M
Jennifer Luper North Carolina A&T
Armanda Black Hampton
Carly Martin Howard
Sabrina Ferguson Bethune-Cookman
Jada Jeffries Hampton
Hannah Mills Maryland Eastern Shore
Rebecca Kirscher Howard
Tiffany Brents Hampton
Nicole Terryn Florida A&M
Outstanding Performer: Amanda Reyes, Florida A&M
Outstanding Coach: Veronica Wiggins, Florida A&M
2009 Runner-Up Team: Bethune-Cookman Head Coach: Chris Cochran
2009 MEAC Softball Champion: Florida A&M Head Coach: Veronica Wiggins