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| Courtesy: Florida A&M Sports Information Kenya Pererira pitched solidly in both games. |
TALLAHASSEE, Florida -- The Florida A&M Lady Rattlers (10-17) fought from down one run to avoid being swept by the University of Buffalo Bulls (14-13), who won the early game in the set. Buffalo took game one by a score of 3-2 in nine innings, while the Lady Rattlers rebounded to take a come-from-behind 2-1 victory under the lights at the Lady Rattler Softball Complex.
Head coach Veronica Wiggins felt the team could have won both games, with a little concentration. “We played a lot of our younger players tonight, because they bring a youthful intensity, and I felt we needed that tonight. Our veteran players, like Kieifi (Myrick) and Alyssa (Weaver) stepped up and did what they needed to do tonight. We’re trying to build a unit and it’s going to take all of them together to get where we want to be,” Wiggins said.
In the first game, the Lady Rattlers jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning as they mounted a rally off Tori Speckman, as Alyssa Weaver started off with a walk and was ultimately batted in by Danielle Anderson on a hit to right field. Kieifi Myrick was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to score Tashay Irvis, giving FAMU the 2-0 advantage. It would be all the scoring the Lady Rattlers would get in the game.
Speckman, settled in on the mound and struck out 11, pitching a complete game. She only allowed two hits and both runs the Lady Rattlers scored were unearned.
Ashleigh Minter pitched six complete innings, giving up five hits and two earned runs. She struck out two of the batters, while walking one. Kenya Pererira took the loss for the Lady Rattlers as she pitched three innings, giving up one hit, including being on the mound as shortstop Kieifi Myrick handled a hot liner to the left side, but overthrew first base allowing Holly Luciano to score, ultimately giving the Bulls the go-ahead run.
The Lady Rattlers would play solid defense behind the pitching of Minter, until Sammi Gallardo slapped a double to left field, scoring Alexis Curtiss. A wild pitch by Minter allowed Gallardo to advance to third base. She would tie up the game as she scored on a fielder’s choice.
In the top of the ninth inning, Luciano singled off Pererira, followed by a sacrifice bunt by Ryleigh Fitzgerald, moving Lucino into scoring position on second base, where she scored the game-winning run on the throwing error.
In the opening game, FAMU mustered just two hits, while BU collected six hits. Even though Buffalo committed three errors and FAMU committed just one, the Bulls were able to secure the win and move their season record to 14-12, while the Lady Rattlers moved to 9-17 on the season.
In the night cap, the Lady Rattlers fell behind 1-0 in the second inning, as Luciano tripled to left field, and later scored on a Hayley Barrow RBI.
Amber Fullwood pitched five and two-thirds innings to get the win, while Pererira collected a save in one and a third innings. Fullwood allowed five hits and struck out three, while Pererira allowed one hit and got one strikeout. Fullwood also helped her own cause, getting two hits that resulted in two RBI.
For the Bulls, Karly Nevez collected two hits for Buffalo.
The Lady Rattlers will play the Florida State Seminoles on Tuesday at JoAnn Graf Field, with a 6 p.m. start.
COURTESY FLORIDA A&M UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION
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