Clermont, Fla. (Feb. 10) - In their season homer, Florida A&M dropped a 5-3 decision to the University of Tennessee-Chattanooga in their first game of the Dot Richardson's National Collegiate Invitational at NTC Field.

FAMU (0-1) tallied three hits as Ashanti Shepherd, Whitney Robinson and Arianna Stewart finished with one hit each.

UTC (2-0) garnered two hits with Sara Poteat, Sarah Beth Roberts and Kaiti Dutton finishing with two hit apiece.

Deason Taylor (1-0) picked up the win for the Mocs as she gave up two earned runs and striking out six in seven complete innings of work, while Whitney Robinson received the loss for the Lady Rattlers as she gave two earned runs in five innings on the mound.

For the complete story, visit www.famuathletics.com

NCCU SOFTBALL SPLITS SEASON OPENER WITH UNC WILMINGTON

 WILMINGTON, N.C.-Once the Lady Eagles of North Carolina Central brushed the winter frost off their wings, the squad turned an opening season 14-4 (game one) loss to the Lady Seahawks of UNC Wilmington into a 6-4 (game two) victory over UNCW during the doubleheader in Wilmington, N.C., on Friday, Feb. 9.

NCCU senior Nadia Moreta commenced her final season as an Eagle with a team-high three RBI during game two of the twin bill.

Followed by an opening 14-4 loss, NCCU made adjustments to their pitching plan to bring the UNCW runs down by 10 for the first win of the season with a score of 6-4.

NCCU newcomer junior Bianka Molina pitched a complete game, where she faced 30 batters, allowed eight hits and four runs on three errors, while tallying three strikeouts for her first win in the circle in maroon and gray.

Along with Moreta's three RBI, junior Shakemia Edwards had her second successful outing from the plate with two hits and one RBI on four times at bat, while fellow classmate Nadia Jefferies attained two hits and one run on four times at bat.

The maroon and gray opened the afternoon with a 14-4 loss to the Lady Seahawks.  In front of an attendance of 125 softball fans, senior Aurora Baker made her senior debut from the mound.  Over three innings, Baker faced 21 batters, allowed 11 hits and seven runs on three errors, to take her first pitching loss of the season.  Junior Kayla McPeek relieved Baker from the circle, where she faced 13 batters, allowed seven hits, seven runs and walked one batter, on three errors during the bottom of the final inning.

In the loss, Edwards went 1-of-1 during one occasion at bat and tallied two RBI with the top batting performance of the contest.

UNCW scored runs in each inning of the initial competition, beginning their season with five runs in the bottom of the first, seven runs on the bottom of the fourth and a pair singles in the second and third innings. 

For the complete story, visit www.nccueaglepride.com

Bethune-Cookman Falls to Chattanooga and North Florida

CLERMONT -- Bethune-Cookman opened its 2012 softball season with losses of 12-1 to Chattanooga and 8-5 to North
Florida Friday at the Dot Richardson National Collegiate Invitational.

Aurelia Gamch's two-run double and Cesley Tafoya's RBI double highlighted a five-run B-CU fifth in the second game
as the Wildcats closed to 7-5.

Gamch, Michelle Banuelos-Smith and newcomers Karina Romero and Laura Reese each had two
hits for B-CU in the second game.

Gamch scored on a Banuelos-Smith sacrifice fly for B-CU in the opener, which saw Chattanooga escape a bases-loaded, no-out jam
in the top of the second inning then score eight in the bottom half.

For the complete story, visit www.bcuathletics.com