Senior Jessie Larson hit the game-winning RBI in the fifth inning to lead North Carolina A&T to a 2-1 win over Florida A&M in the semifinals of the 2010 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Softball Tournament at the Ormond Beach Sports Complex Friday night.

The win advances the  Lady Aggies to Saturday's 1 p.m., championship game against Bethune-Cookman. The Aggies head to the championship game out of the losers' bracket, so they must win twice in order to claim the school's first-ever MEAC title. Bethune-Cookman advanced to the title game after beating  North Carolina A&T 3-0 earlier in the day.

The Lady Aggies earned entry into the title game by taking advantage of the Lady Rattlers' generosity early in the fifth inning. With FAMU holding a 1-0 lead, starter Amanda Reyes walked freshman Jasmine Parks to open the inning. A fielding error allowed Danielle Nguyen to reach as well.

The Lady Rattlers decided to intentionally walk Yahamma White to load the bases. Freshman Hope Fletcher took advantage of the opportunity with an RBI single to center field that tied the game at one. A huge break came the Rattlers way when North Carolina A&T's Lillian Bullock hit into a double play.

But Larson took Reyes' 1-0 pitch over the outside part of the plate into center field for a clutch two-out RBI single that scored White for a one-run  North Carolina A&T advantage.

The Lady Aggies slim lead was threatened immediately as Tenish Dixon's groundball to lead off the Lady Rattlers' sixth went through the legs of Lillian Bullock into right center field. The ball was then misplayed in the outfield allowing Dixon to reach third and make a turn toward home plate. North Carolina A&T was able to hold her at third.

Luper would pitch her way around the mistakes by getting Erika Garcia to groundout, and by striking out the last two Lady Rattler batters of the inning. Luper (17-14) also pitched her way out of a seventh-inning jam by getting Melissa Oliphant to strike out to end the game.

Luper struck out eight, walked one and did not give up an earned run over seven innings to improve to 3-1 in the tournament. Reyes (21-14) did not give up an earned run either. She struck out four, walked four and surrendered three hits over six innings. Teammate Jasmin Donaldson went 3-for-4 with a run scored.   

For more information on MEAC Softball, visit www.MEACsports.com