NSU Shuts Out Hampton 4-0 on Senior Day

NORFOLK, Va. - Sophomore Jamie Schulle pitched seven shutout innings, and senior Danielle Wright led off the bottom of the first with a home run as the Norfolk State celebrated Senior Day with a 4-0 win over rival Hampton Saturday afternoon at the NSU Softball Field.

Schulle gave up just three hits and struck out four for her sixth shutout of the season, while Wright added a pair of hits, including her second home run of the season. Sophomore cather Kathy Cortez went 3-for-4 with a one scored for NSU.

The Spartans pounded out eight hits on the day and benefitted from eight Hampton walks, but NSU failed to capitalize on numerous scoring opportunities. The Spartans left 13 runners on base, including 11 through the first four innings of play.

Wright wasted no time getting NSU on the board, as she took the first pitch from Hampton starter Travonna Byrd and deposited it over the center field fence to start the bottom of the first. Freshman Alina Moriarty and junior Gipsy Ramirez walked in between a single off the bat of freshman Haley Ward, but the Spartans were unable to push across another run in that first frame.

Ward got hit on the back by the pitch to start the third inning, and Ramirez and sophomore Melina Valles walked to load the bases. A wild pitch plated Ward, but Byrd got the last two outs of the inning as NSU again stranded the bases loaded. After do the same in the fourth, the Spartans added a pair of insurance runs in the sixth for the final scoring margin.

Cortez singled through the hole on the left side of the infield to start the sixth, and senior pinch hitter Candice Vasquez lined one past the first baseman to put runners on the corners. Relief pitcher Jailynn Jackson threw one to the backstop to bring home Cortez, and a walk to Ward and a single off the bat of Ramirez loaded the bases. One out later, Valles lofted a sacrifice fly to left to score Moriarty.

Along with Wright and Vasquez, NSU also honored third baseman Whitney Holland prior to the game.

Byrd (12-17) gave up seven hits and four earned runs with seven walks and three strikeouts. Schulle improved her record to 12-9 on the year.

For the complete story, visit www.nsuspartans.com or www.hamptonpirates.com

Lady Rattlers Completes Sweep Of B-Cu With Two Wins, Saturday

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (May 5)  - Florida A&M completed their three-game sweep of arch-rival Bethune-Cookman as the Lady Rattlers won game one, 6-5 and blanked B-CU 8-0 in game two, on Senior Day, Saturday afternoon at the Lady Rattlers Softball Complex.

In game one, FAMU belted out a game high nine hits  as Jasmin Donaldson finished with a game high three hits to lead the Lady Rattlers, while B-CU tallied eight hits in the contest and had three Wildcats to finished with two hits each.

Whitney Robinson (7-9) picked up the win  as she pitched two innings in relief, allowing three hits, two earned runs and striking out one, while Jennifer Lindsey (1) picked up her first save of the season as she pitched one scoreless inning.

Shanel Tolbert (26-23) received the loss for the Wildcats as she pitched six innings, allowing nine hits, three earned runs and striking out two in the 31 batters she faced.

FAMU took a 4-0 lead into the top of the fifth inning as the Lady Rattlers scored four runs on three hits and one Wildcat error.

B-CU (26-29, 11-4 MEAC) would cut FAMU's lead to 4-3 in the top of the fifth inning as both Shamaria Engram and Breanna Chavez scored on an Aurelia Gamch single, followed by a Michelle Banuelos-Smith single scoring Calesha Shelley.

The Lady Rattlers made the score 5-3 in their favor in the bottom of the fifth inning as Kieifi Myrick singled up the middle scoring Donaldson.

A Gamch two-run homer to left field would tie the game at 5-5 in the top of the sixth inning.

FAMU (24-27, 10-4 MEAC) would win the game in the bottom of the sixth inning as Tenisha Dixon stole third based and scored on a Wildcat infielder's error for the 6-5 win.

In game two, the Lady Rattlers picked up where the left off as FAMU belted out 11 hits, while the Lady Rattler pitching staff held the Wildcats to just two hits.

Dixon had the hot bat for FAMU in game two as she went a perfect three-for-three from the plate , while both Gamch and Cesley Tafoya finished with one hit each to lead B-CU.

Lindsey (12-8) got the win for FAMU as she pitched five scoreless inning, striking out one and giving up two hits, while Tolbert (26-24) received the loss for B-CU as she pitched four and one-third innings , giving up 11 hits, seven earned runs and striking out one.

The Lady Rattlers would score five runs in the second, two runs in third and one run in the fifth to invoke the eight-run mercy rule.

For the complete story, visit www.famuathletics.com or www.bcuathletics.com