Late game heroics provided by the Florida A&M softball team prevented the University of James Madison from winning two games in the spring break double header in Tallahassee.In game one Florida A&M was able to score four consecutive runs in the second inning on behalf of co-captain and senior Joyce Harold. The RBI allowed two other Florida A&M players to advance on bases including a scored run by freshman Corin Gordon. The four runs provided a cushion for Florida A&M giving them a 4-0 lead entering the next inning. Timely hitting from the bats of the James Madison Dukes in the fourth inning led to numerous players capitalizing on pitches from senior Amanda Reyes which helped James Madison to rally in the sixth and seventh inning and eventually take the lead in a 7-4 victory.Throughout game one the Florida A&M seemed to play at back and forth pace allowing James Madison to take advantage of pitching from Seniors Amanda Reyes and Melissa Oliphant who had a combined six strikeouts.Sophomore Jasmin Donaldson talked about the team’s body language being part of the reason they were not able to sustain the lead against James Madison.In game two, it was James Madison who rallied throughout the game scoring three runs. James Madison’s third base utility player, Caitlen Manning, scored the first run off of a wild pitch by freshman Jennifer Lindsey. The second run came from Ashley Burnham who grounded out to third but not before center field player Megan Shinabery advanced home off of the RBI. The third run was scored in the fourth inning as James Madison’s Manning tripled to center field and outfielder Courtney Simons hustled to home plate. Lindsey was able to provide the Florida A&M Rattlers with stable pitching through sixth innings.The rally by Florida A&M started in the third inning after Tara Vincent hit an RBI that advanced senior Melissa Oliphant to second base and sophomore Jasmin Donaldson used her speed to score. ]
In the sixth inning the bats for Florida A&M were active in the sixth beginning with a pitcher Jennifer Lindsey hitting a single to center field that gave Donaldson the ability to use her quickness to score a run. After scoring, Donaldson would come up to bat, where she doubled to center field allowing senior Harold to tally up another run scored. Sophomore Tenisha Dixson doubled slapping the ball down the left field line, allowing Donaldson to score an unearned run giving Florida A&M the 5-3 lead.Florida A&M (3-4) freshman Lindsey was able to provide stable pitching only allowing two earned runs from James Madison and in the seventh inning Reyes was able to get the save in a substitution. Reyes used a variety of pitches to force the James Madison bats into pop up situations that eventually closed out the game for Florida A&M in a 5-3 victory.