Lady Rattlers take two from Bethune, move into first place MEAC South

The Florida A&M Women's Softball team swept a Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference doubleheader Tuesday from archrival Bethune-Cookman College, 8-5 and 6-0 at the Lady Rattler Softball Complex.

Florida A&M (21-19, 8-0 in MEAC), rode a 10-hit attack in the nationally-televised opener led by freshman Tiffany Johnson, who went four-for-four, Kelly Gordon and Shalina Taylor with two hits apiece. Danielle Brown led FAMU with three RBI, while Kelly Gordon and Alacia Strafford each had two runs driven in.

Leading 1-0 in the third, FAMU barged further ahead when Danielle Brown belted a three-run homer to left for a 4-0 cushion. Brown (8-9) got the win on the mound, working six and one-third innings, allowing five runs on six hits with three strikeouts.

Her three strikeouts moved Brown closer to the FAMU career strikeouts mark of 519, set by Tenyse Tasby (1999-02). The Orange Park native now has 511 career strikeouts.

B-CC scored a run in the fourth for a 4-1 games, but the Lady Rattlers scored three runs in the fifth and one more in the sixth for an 8-1 edge. Freshman Tiffany Johnson closed out the scoring with a solo homer in the sixth.

The Lady `Cats (18-20, 6-2) rallied in the seventh for four runs, chasing Brown for relievers Destiny Gordon, who retired one batter and Tiffany Johnson, who struck out Bethune's Holly Bussey to end the game with the bases loaded.

In Game Two, FAMU grabbed a 4-0 lead in the first on RBI singles by Ashley Smith, Alacia Strafford and a two-run double by Kelly Gordon.

FAMU had seven hits in the nightcap, led by Danielle Brown's two hits. Kelly Gordon had two RBI, while Ashley Smith, Strafford, Rhianna Green and Ashley James each drove in one run Tuesday evening.

The Lady Rattlers scored the game's final two runs in the sixth, when Rhianna Smith had an RBI triple to score Strafford, after Ashley James' pinch hit sacrifice fly to right plated Tiffany Johnson with the first run of the inning.

Johnson (10-2) continued her bid for MEAC Rookie of the Year honors, going the distance in the second game, striking out four, while scattering six hits in seven innings. She had a save in the opener.

At the plate, she went five-for-seven in the twinbill Tuesday, with four runs scored and an RBI.