TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Junior Jordan Douglas delivered a clutch RBI single to center field in the bottom of the eighth inning to plate Michaela Fernandez and give the Florida A&M Rattlers a thrilling 8-7 walk-off victory over the Jackson State Tigers on Friday evening. The Rattlers clinched the SWAC East Division and will be the No.1 seed in the East Division at the SWAC Softball Tournament.

With the victory, FAMU improved to 27-18 overall and 18-4 in Southwestern Athletic Conference play, while Jackson State fell to 23-10 and 15-7 in conference action.

The Rattlers trailed three separate times in the contest and answered every Jackson State run in a back-and-forth affair that featured five lead changes. FAMU never let the Tigers pull away, displaying the resilience that has defined their 2026 campaign.

Sophomore Jamison Townsend paced the FAMU offense with a 3-for-4 performance that included three doubles and two RBI. Senior Amari Brown added two hits, including a triple, and drove in two runs, while Douglas finished 2-for-4 with a home run and two RBI.

Jackson State struck first in the top of the third inning, stringing together a triple, a double, and a single to push across three runs and take a 3-0 lead. The Rattlers, however, refused to fold. FAMU loaded the bases with one out in the bottom of the frame, and Townsend ripped a two-RBI double to center field to cut the deficit to 3-2. Brown followed with an RBI groundout to tie the game, and Townsend later came around to score on a throwing error to give the Rattlers a 4-3 advantage.

Douglas extended the FAMU lead to 5-3 in the fourth inning with a solo home run to left field. But the Tigers answered with a four-run fifth inning, aided by a FAMU fielding error, to retake the lead at 7-5.

Once again, the Rattlers responded. Townsend led off the bottom of the fifth with a double, and Brown followed with an RBI triple to right field to pull FAMU within one. Senior Keeleigh Spooner then delivered an RBI single through the left side to knot the score at 7-7.

The game remained tied through two scoreless innings before FAMU manufactured the winning run in the eighth. Brown led off with a single, and Fernandez entered as a pinch runner. Spooner singled to move Fernandez into scoring position, and Kiara Beltre entered to pinch run for Spooner. Douglas then delivered the decisive blow, lacing a single to center field to bring Fernandez home and set off a celebration at home plate.

Junior Zoryana Hughes was dominant in the circle for the Rattlers, going the distance in eight innings of work. The Lake City, Fla. native scattered six hits and allowed seven runs — only three of which were earned — while striking out seven and walking three. Hughes improved to 12-4 on the season with the victory.

Jackson State's Jorgina Gant absorbed the loss, falling to 10-5 after surrendering eight runs — seven earned — on 10 hits with three strikeouts over seven innings.
Spooner finished the game 2-for-4 with an RBI behind the plate, while junior Makayla Register added a hit and reached base safely in a supporting role from the first base position.
 

GAME STATS

Final Score: Florida A&M 8, Jackson State 7 (8 innings)
Records: FAMU 27-18, 18-4 SWAC | Jackson State 23-10, 15-7 SWAC

FAMU Batting Leaders
Jamison Townsend: 3-for-4, 3 2B, 2 RBI, 2 R
Amari Brown: 2-for-4, 3B, 2 RBI, 1 R
Jordan Douglas: 2-for-4, HR, 2 RBI, 1 R
Keeleigh Spooner: 2-for-4, 1 RBI

FAMU Pitching
Zoryana Hughes (W, 12-4): 8.0 IP, 6 H, 7 R, 3 ER, 3 BB, 7 K

Jackson State Pitching
Jorgina Gant (L, 10-5): 7.0 IP, 10 H, 8 R, 7 ER, 2 BB, 3 K, 1 HR

Key Stats
E – FAMU (Canty), JSU (Almaraz)
2B – FAMU: Townsend 3; JSU: Almaraz
3B – FAMU: Brown; JSU: Jackson
HR – FAMU: Douglas
SB – JSU: Gipson, Morris