ORMOND BEACH, Fla. - Florida A&M’s 2013 season ended on a sour note as  Norfolk State scored two runs in the bottom of the seventh inning to pull out a 8-7 win over the Lady Rattlers at Ormond Beach Softball Complex in a Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) loser’s bracket elimination game.

Both teams finished the contest with eight hits each. Robbielyn Roberson and Corinne Gordon finished with two hits each for the Lady Rattlers, while Haley Ward and Kathy Cortez finished with two hits apiece to lead the Spartans.

Jamie Schulle (18-12) picked up the win for NSU pitching seven innings and allowing eight hits, five earned runs and striking out four in the 31 batters she faced. Jennifer Lindsey (13-20) received the loss for FAMU after giving up eight hits, six earned runs and striking out two in six and one-third innings of work.

FAMU grabbed the early 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning as Tikeya Strong scored on Brielle Gordon to fight field.

The Spartans regained the lead in the bottom of the first inning with Heather Dunning scoring on a Alina Moriarty double to right field. Moriarty would score on a Haley Ward ground rule double, giving NSU a 2-1 lead.

Bianca Torres tied the contest at 2-2 for FAMU after scoring on a Christina Robbs’ ground out to second base.

FAMU increased its lead to  4-2 in the top of the third inning as both Kieifi Myrick and Roberson scored in the inning with Myrick scoring on a Roberson double to left center and Roberson scoring on a NSU fielding error.

NSU would plate four runs in the bottom of the fourth inning to take the 6-4 lead as both Cathy Davis and Melina Valles scored on a Robyn Mitchell single, followed by a Dunning single to right field to score both Ramirez and Moriarty. 

In the top of the sixth inning, FAMU scored three runs to take a 7-6 lead as Alyssa Weaver singled to shortstop scoring Roberson, followed by a NSU fielding error scoring Naesha Lewis and then Weaver scored on a Raven Mosley sacrifice fly to right field.

In the end NSU would win the game in the bottom of the seventh inning with both Moriarty and Whitney Williams scoring on a Kathy Cortez single to the right field, for the 8-7 win.

With the loss, FAMU finishes the season with a 20-32 record, while NSU (28-21) advances in the loser’s bracket and will face Delaware State in a 3 p.m., elimination game.