DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – In a battle atop the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) Eastern Division on Friday afternoon, it was visiting Florida A&M collecting a 3-2 series-opening victory from Bethune-Cookman at Sunnyland Park.
 
Florida A&M (13-14, 9-1 SWAC) took an early 1-0 lead in the top of the second inning.
 
Aniya Canty started the inning reaching safely on a Kallie Earlington error at third base. Nyomi Jones would later drive in Canty with a single to left.
 
Bethune-Cookman (10-20, 8-2 SWAC) immediately answered in the bottom of the second to knot things at 1-all.
 
Thais Uyema led off with a single up the middle and later advanced to third on a successful sacrifice bunt by Earlington. Uyema scored the tying run on an error courtesy of a failed pickoff attempt by catcher Nyah Morgan to make it 1-1.
 
However, FAMU regained the lead in the top of the third inning.
 
Morgan was hit by a pitch with one out, followed by Brianna Duggins with a single to put runners on first and second. Tiarra Edwards came in to pinch run for Morgan and scored on Tatianna Davis' RBI double to the wall in left to make it 2-1 Rattlers.
 
The score remained 2-1 until the top of the sixth when the Rattlers tacked on an insurance run. Canty was hit by a pitch to start the inning and advanced to third on right fielder Mia Blasingan's bunt single. Jones then grounded out to BCU pitcher Halyne Gonzalez, but Canty scored to extend the lead to 3-1.
 
Bethune-Cookman made it interesting in the bottom of the seventh.
 
Wildcats shortstop Briana Velazquez led off with a walk and came around to score on Essence Gibbs' RBI groundout to cut the deficit to 3-2. But the Wildcats could get no closer as pinch hitter Aysiah Gonzalez lined out to Kiauna Watson at second to end the game with Velazquez stranded at third representing the tying run.
 
Zoryana Hughes (7-2) earned the win for the Rattlers, allowing just one earned run on six hits over seven innings of work. Gonzalez (7-10) accepted the loss for the Wildcats, giving up three runs (two earned) on seven hits with a game-high seven strikeouts in a complete game effort.
 
The Rattlers offense was managed by Jones and Gainer each turning in 2-for-4 afternoons at the dish, added the pair of RBIs from Jones as well. BCU was led by first baseman Ciera Clark's 2-for-2 day at the plate.
 
The two teams meet on Saturday for a doubleheader beginning at 1 p.m., to close out the weekend series.
 
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