DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Florida A&M softball came out swinging and never let up. Keeleigh Spooner delivered a three-run home run in the second inning, Amari Brown and Jordan Douglas each added solo shots and the Rattlers poured it on early in a 9-1 five-inning mercy-rule victory over Bethune-Cookman on Friday night at Sunnyland Park. FAMU improved to 17-14 overall and 8-2 in SWAC play.

The Rattlers were relentless from the opening at-bat. A parade of walks from Bethune-Cookman starter Mia Gonzalez loaded the bases in the first with two outs, and Jordan Douglas worked a bases-loaded walk to force in Braxtyn Battle and put FAMU on the board. Samantha Smith then singled to left to score Amari Brown, and Makayla Register followed with another single, also to left, to plate Douglas and make it 3-0. Gonzalez walked five batters in that first frame alone without recording a second out.

The second inning was even more decisive. With Neriah Lee and Jamison Townsend on base with two outs, Spooner stepped in against reliever Aimi Tohara-Yshiki and launched a three-run shot to left field — her seventh home run of the season — to blow it open at 7-1.

Smith added a two-out RBI double to right to cap the inning at four runs and push the Rattler advantage to a commanding 7-1.

Brown sealed it in the fourth, connecting on a solo home run to left — her fifth of the year — followed two batters later by Douglas going back-to-back with a solo blast of her own. The pair of homers were the exclamation point on a dominant offensive display, giving FAMU nine runs on eight hits with three home runs and six walks drawn.

Zoryana Hughes was equally efficient in the circle, working four complete innings while allowing just one earned run on four hits. Hughes struck out three and induced seven ground ball outs before turning it over to Sariah Espada, who retired the Wildcats in order in the fifth to close it out. Hughes improved to 7-3 on the season.

Smith finished 2-for-3 with a double, two RBIs and a run scored out of the designated player spot, continuing her strong stretch of late-season production. Register chipped in with a hit and an RBI from the eight hole, and Lee reached base twice, scoring once and setting the table for the Spooner homer that blew the game open.

At 8-2 in SWAC play, Florida A&M has positioned itself firmly in the hunt for a conference title. The Rattlers have now won seven of their last nine games.
 
Florida A&M 9, Bethune-Cookman 1

Batting
Keeleigh Spooner — 1-2, HR (3-run, 2nd inning), 3 RBI, 2 R, BB
Amari Brown — 1-3, HR (solo, 4th inning), RBI, 2 R
Jordan Douglas — 1-1, HR (solo, 4th inning), 2 RBI, 2 R, 2 BB
Samantha Smith — 2-3, 2B, 2 RBI
Makayla Register — 1-3, RBI
Pitching
Zoryana Hughes (W, 7-3) — 4.0 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 3 K
Sariah Espada — 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 K