ORMOND BEACH, Fla. - Florida A&M advanced to the quarterfinal round of the 2013 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Softball Tournament with a 8-6 victory in the opening round at Ormond Beach Softball Complex.
FAMU (20-30) tallied four hits in the contest as four Lady Rattlers finished with one hit each.
DSU (20-34) finished the contest with a game high 11 hits led by Nicole Gazzolla who tallied a team high three hits. Rochelle Sablay and Miranda Pedersen finished with two apiece.
Ashleigh Minter (6-11) picked up the win for the Lady Rattlers as she pitched three and two-third innings, allowing eight hits, two earned runs and two walks in the 22 batters she faced. Jennifer Lindsey earned her first save of the season as she pitched three and one-third innings in relief, allowing three hits, two earned runs and striking out three in the 16 batters she faced.
DSU’s Rachel Meagley (6-15) got the loss for the Lady Hornets pitching six innings, and allowing four hits, three earned runs and striking out four in the 34 batters she faced.
DSU jumped out to 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning with both Gazzolla and Chole Oro scoring on a Sablay double to right field.
The Lady Rattlers regained the lead in the bottom of the first inning with Brielle Gordon and Ashanti Shepherd scoring on a Myrick single to right field, followed by a Lady Hornet error scoring both Robbielyn Roberson and Myrick. Tikeya Strong scored on a wild pitch, giving the Lady Rattlers, a 5-2 lead.
FAMU added to their lead in the bottom of the third inning as Bianca Torres scored on a DSU fielding error. Christina Robbs grounded out to score Alyssa Weaver and Strong would steal home, giving the Lady Rattlers, a 8-2 lead.
DSU scored two runs in the top of the fourth as Miranda Pedersen scored on a FAMU error, followed by a Sablay single to right center scoring Gazzolla, cutting FAMU’s lead to 8-4.
The Lady Hornets would plate two runs in the top of the sixth inning for the 8-6 finale.
With the win, FAMU will face Hampton University in the quarterfinal round at 7 p.m., while Delaware State moves into the loser bracket and will face North Carolina A&T in a 4:30 p.m. elimination game.