NORFOLK, Va. – Florida A&M took both ends of a doubleheader from Norfolk State on Saturday, using a seven-run fifth inning in game one and a timely squeeze bunt in game two to top the Spartans by scores of 12-4 and 5-4 at Marty L. Miller Field.

NSU fell to 19-23 overall with the loss, 15-8 in the MEAC. The Spartans were led offensively by Dionte Brown, who had two hits in each game, and Ty Hanchey, who was 3-for-7 with a pair of doubles on the day.

In the opener, neither team scored until the fourth inning, but the runs came quickly from then on. Jared Weber singled in a run and scored on a Tucker Rayburn sacrifice fly in the top of the fourth for FAMU (17-27, 11-8). NSU got a run back in the bottom of the fourth when Hanchey scored from third while Jacob Council was hung up in a rundown between first and second bases.

But FAMU scored seven runs on seven hits in the top of the fifth. Seyjuan Lawrence singled in two runs and Rayburn doubled home two more in the inning, when the Rattlers sent 12 men to the plate.

The Spartans threatened to get back in it with three runs of their own in the bottom of the fifth. Khie Simms singled and Trent Hanchey walked before Raphy Rodriguez singled home Simms. Brown then tripled home both Hanchey and Rodriguez to bring NSU within 9-4.

But FAMU reliever Zach Morea retired the next three hitters and kept the Spartans scoreless the rest of the way to help FAMU take the opener. Morea picked up the save with three innings of work.

Kyle Coleman earned the win for FAMU with four innings of work. He gave up seven hits and four runs. Seth Hockett (1-2) took the loss for the Spartans, allowing nine runs in 4.1 innings pitched.

Rayburn drove in four and was one of four Rattlers with two hits in the opener. Simms, Ty Hanchey and Brown each had two hits in the first game for NSU.

In the nightcap, Bryant hit an RBI single and Weber an RBI double in the top of the first to get the Rattlers out to the early lead.

NSU tied it in the third. Alsander Womack hit an RBI single and Ty Hanchey a run-scoring double, but the Rattlers reclaimed the lead by scoring two runs on a two-out NSU error in the fourth.

Cody Donnell's RBI groundout scored Minjae Hong to cut NSU's deficit in half in the fourth, and Mason Velasquez's RBI single in the fifth scored Brown to tie the game at 4.

But the Rattlers scored the go-ahead run in the sixth. Lawrence doubled and advanced to third on a sacrifice by Tucker Rayburn. Grant Rowell then executed a safety squeeze bunt to plate Lawrence with what proved to be the winning tally.

Jeremiah McCollum pitched the final two innings without allowing a hit for FAMU to pick up the save. Ben Krizen, the second of three Rattler pitchers, earned the win with one inning of relief.

Michael Portela was charged with the loss. He allowed one run over two otherwise strong innings of relief.

Brown scored twice, going 2-for-4 in the nightcap. Adam Collins was 2-for-3.

The teams cap their series with a noon game on Sunday.