Game 1 Box Score
Game 2 Box Score
NORFOLK, Va. — The Norfolk State softball team used two five-run sixth innings to complete a Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference doubleheader sweep of Florida A&M on Sunday at the NSU Softball Field. The Spartans won the first game 11-10 and then beat the Lady Rattlers 12-10 in the nightcap.
It was a day full of offense for both teams as there were a total of 43 runs, 42 hits, nine doubles, and eight home runs in the two games. The first game lasted 2 hours and 41 minutes, while game 2 was three hours long.
NSU (11-20, 3-3 MEAC) came from behind to win each game. Down 10-6 in the first game, the Spartans belted out three hits that led to five runs in the bottom of the sixth. With two out and two on, Meghan Ramsey (Virginia Beach, Va.) homered to right field to get things started. Jeanette Sauceda (Ontario, Calif.) and Amelia Lewis (Brampton, Ontario) each followed with RBI doubles to seal the 11-10 win.
In the second game, the Spartans got up early, scoring four runs in the bottom of the third to take a 4-1 lead. FAMU (10-30, 0-3 MEAC) tied the game at 7-all in the top of the sixth, but the Spartans used another five-run outing in the bottom of the frame to take a 12-7 lead.
The Lady Rattlers tried to rally in the top of the seventh behind the powerful hits of pitcher Melissa Oliphant and designated player Unika McIntosh. Oliphant homered to lead off the inning and McIntosh hit an RBI double, but the Spartan defense stiffened and limited FAMU to just three runs.
Oliphant (6-17) took the loss in both games. In the first game, she gave up two hits and two runs in two innings. She allowed six runs (five earned), five hits and walked five in two innings and one-third innings in the second game. Oliphant split time on the rubber with Tiffany Chan. Chan relieved Oliphant in both games, but Oliphant returned each time to pitch the last few innings.
Sarah Wittwer (Grand Junction, Colo.) earned the win in game 1 after pitching five innings in relief. She gave up eight hits, seven runs (five earned) and walked three. Micki Rodriguez (Newport News, Va.) won her fourth game of the season after tossing a 12-hit, 10-run complete game. She walked five and struck out four.
On the day, Alacia Strafford went 5-for-10 with five, RBI and two home runs for FAMU. McIntosh was 4-for-9 with a homer, three RBI and four runs, while Oliphant was 3-for-7 with a home run.
Gladys Cabeza (Corning, N.Y.) finished the day 3-for-6 and batted in four runs and Sauceda was 2-for-5 with four RBI, two doubles and two runs.
The Spartans travel to Raleigh, N.C. on Wednesday to take on North Carolina Central at 1 p.m.
