ITTA BENA, Miss. | The Florida A&M University softball team ended an early season slide with two wins on Saturday to open play at the Mississippi Valley State Legends Classic at the MVSU Softball Field.
The Lady Rattlers (2-11) defeated Arkansas-Pine Bluff, 9-3, and ended the day with a 2-1 victory over Mississippi Valley State.
Game 1 – Florida A&M 9, Arkansas-Pine Bluff 3
Melkayla Irvis led Florida A&M in the opener, with two hits – a double and a home run – to go along with four RBIs and a pair of runs scored
UAPB (1-13) took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first, but Florida A&M answered with a pair of runs in the third inning to grab a 2-1 advantage as Irvis belted her first collegiate homer, which drove in
Jamesia Stoudemire, who reached on an error.
The Golden Lions pushed across single runs in the bottom of the third and fourth innings to regain the lead, 3-2, before FAMU took control with a five-run fifth inning, using six hits to do the damage.
Stoudemire got things started with an RBI double, tying the score at 3-3 and was followed later by Irvis, who lashed a two-run double, putting FAMU ahead for good at 5-3.
Kyaira Brown's fielder's choice grounder drove in another run for a 6-3 score, then
Hera Varmah socked an RBI triple for a 7-3 edge.
In the top of the seventh, FAMU capped the game's scoring thanks to a two-run homer by
Kyaira Brown.
Aiding Irvis in driving FAMU's 10-hit offensive parade, were Brown with a hit, two runs scored and three RBIs,
Alexis Blasingane with two hits and a run scored,
Hera Varmah, who added a hit and an RBI,
Brandice Boatwright, who had two hits and a run scored, and Stoudemire, who had a hit, and RBI, with two runs scored.
Nadia Zenteno (1-3) got the win, scattering seven hits, allowing three runs, with two walks and two strikeouts in seven full innings.
Game 2 – Florida A&M 2, Mississippi Valley State 1
Florida A&M picked up its second win as the Lady Rattlers scored both runs in the fifth inning, on two of their three hits.
MVSU scored first, tallying a run in the bottom of the first inning, and that lead held up until the top of the fifth, when Irvis hit an RBI single, scoring
Hera Varmah, who was hit by a pitch. Stoudemire scored right after on an errant throw for a 2-1 lead.
Irvis, Stoudemire and
Destiny Cuevas had FAMU's three hits, while
Kyaira Brown (1-0) got the win in her first start of the season, working into the seventh, allowing six hits, one run, with three walks and four strikeouts.
Zenteno came on to get the final out, picking up a save.
WHO'S ON DECK:
Florida A&M closes out play at the MVSU Legends Classic Tournament against Tennessee State. First pitch is scheduled for 12 p.m.
#Follow The Rattlers
For complete coverage of Florida A&M athletics, please follow the Rattlers on social media at @FAMUAthletics (Twitter), /FAMUAth (Facebook), @famuathletics (Instagram) or visit the official home of Florida A&M Athletics at famuathletics.com.
