Box Score

ORMOND BEACH, Fla. — Allison Rubin and Brianna Parr both went 2-for-3 at the plate to help No. 2 (northern division) Delaware State to a 3-0 win over No. 3 (southern division) Norfolk State in the opening round of the 2009 MEAC Softball Tournament at the Ormond Beach Sports Complex.

The game was a rematch of the 2008 conference championship game with the same result and the same score.

DSU (23-20) picked up a run in the bottom of the first after an error by NSU shortstop Jamie Raab (Houston, Tex.) to take a 1-0 lead. The Lady Hornets got two more runs in the fourth when Alyssa Velazquez (Aurora, Colo.) walked Rachel Carol with the bases loaded and after Rubin's RBI single.

The Spartans (22-24) only managed eight hits off DSU pitcher Brittany Ruark and they stranded 13 runners. Ruark walked three and struck out five in the seven-inning shutout for the win. Velazquez pitched 4.1 innings and allowed eight hits, three runs (two earned), struck out three and walked two.

For the Spartans, Raab and Rebecca Barnes (Hampton, Va.) each went 2-for-4.

Delaware State takes on Florida A&M, the top seed in the south, at 7 p.m. in the winner's bracket and NSU will play No. 3 (northern division) Hampton in an elimination game at 4:30 p.m.