TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – In a marathon effort, Alabama A&M (10-22, 5-12 SWAC) took the lead in the 11^th inning after a tremendous pitching performance but could not hold it as Florida A&M (16-25, 10-8 SWAC) pulled out a 6-5 decision in an NCAA Division I softball game on Saturday, April 16.
 
Based upon available reliable records, the game is the longest by innings that the team has played in at least the past decade. Since 2012 NCAA records indicate just two games for the Bulldogs that reached 10 innings, those coming in an 8-6 loss at Tuskegee on March 26, 2014 and in a 4-3 defeat to Prairie View on March 24, 2012.
 
Any semblance of a pitcher's duel early on would go out the window in the first inning as sophomore second baseman Lauryn Gross (Huntsville, Ala.) walked, moved to second on a grounder and scored on a double by freshman outfielder Allyson Riches (San Diego, Calif.) for a 1-0 lead.
 
A single by senior first baseman Rachael McKinney (Birmingham, Ala.) then drove her home and she would come around to score on an RBI single by sophomore designated player Esperanza Coe (Beaumont, Calif.) for a three-run margin at the end of the top of the first.
 
With one out in the home half of the inning, Nyah Morgan laced a ground rule double and then advanced to third on a passed ball. Destiny Cuevas would then plate her with a single to left two batters latter before A&M ended any further threat with an infield popup.
 
The Bulldogs would use a two-out walk by Gross and a single by freshman outfielder Tatianna Roman (Cypress, Calif.) to put a pair of runners on in the second but FAMU would quell that rally with a fielder's choice.
 
After being held hitless in their half of the inning and limiting Alabama A&M to one hit in the third, the Rattlers broke through in the home half. MelKayla Irvis did her best impression of Gross as she walked, stole second and third and scored on a Morgan groundout to cut it to one. A grounder by Desirae Beacham then brought home Mia Blasingane and knotted the score at 3-3 before Cuevas grounded out to end the inning.
 
It would stay that way until the sixth when the Bulldogs put together a pair of singles with an out sandwiched in between to put runners on first and second. Freshman outfielder Da'Nijah Wade (Columbia, Tenn.), fresh on from the second of those hits, was the back half of a double steal that saw sophomore third baseman Faith Cross (Pulaski, Tenn.) take third and then score on an error by the catcher for a 4-3 lead.
 
They would maintain the pressure as Gross singled to left to put runners on first and third and then promptly stole second. That threat would then disappear as the Rattlers threw out Wade at home and then gunned out Roman trying to take second on the throw to end the inning.
 
The bottom of the sixth would see Morgan lead off with a double as FAMU came right back after seeing the deadlock broken. Two batters later Cuevas reached on a fielder's choice and brought Morgan home to knot it back up at 4-4.
 
Over the next four innings the clubs would then combine for just four hits as they went deep into extra innings. A&M mounted a rally in the ninth, getting to first and second on a Riches hit and an error that allowed McKinney to reach before a grounder got Florida A&M out of it.
 
The Bulldogs would rally again in the 10^th, this time with the benefit of the runner being placed on second to start the frame. A single by Coe would make it first and third before she moved to second on a groundout to put both runners in scoring position. FAMU would then find their way out of the jam with a pop out and a liner to second.
 
The Rattlers notched their first hit in four innings in the bottom of the 10^th and had runners on first and second with one out and failed to capitalize as a result of an odd play. Kyami Cruz attempted to steal third and was thrown out before the throw from third base went into centerfield, allowing Cris'Deona Beasley to reach second. She then went for third and was gunned down by the centerfielder to end the inning.
 
Following four innings of relative calm, the chaotic nature of the late innings would continue in the 11^th as a Gross groundout advanced the inherited runner, Wade, to third and a single by Roman then scored her for a 5-4 lead. A popout and strikeout then sent the teams to the bottom of the frame with that one run margin.
 
It wouldn't stay that way long, however, as Irvis ripped a one-out single to left center to tie it up at 5-5 and a Blasingane grounder moved her to third. That innocuous play would put FAMU in position to take the marathon game though as a passed ball then scored Irvis for the 6-5 victory.
 
Morgan led the Rattlers with a 2-for-4 day that saw her drive home one and score twice while Cuevas had a pair of RBIs. Beacham and Irvis each had an RBI with the latter scoring twice, walking once and swiping a pair of bags to round out the offense. In the circle, Brandice Boatright went the first six innings, allowing three earned runs, and Nadia Zenteno threw the last five, surrendering only one unearned run and striking out five to go to 2-7.
 
While offense usually leads the way, senior pitcher Alyssa Lopez (San Leandro, Calif.) delivered a herculean effort that kept the Bulldogs in the game. She would throw all 10.2 innings, allowing just five hits, three earned runs and struck out seven against, perhaps most impressively, just one walk. In a game that neither team would let go of, she deserved a better fate as she suffered the hard-luck loss to drop to 3-6.
 
And on the offensive side, Coe went 3-for-4 with a walk and RBI and McKinney was 3-for-6 with a run and RBI. Roman and Riches both went 2-for-6 with an RBI with the latter adding a run and Gross going 1-for-3 with a steal, two walks, a hit-by-pitch and a run scored.
 
Alabama A&M steps out of conference play one more time when they travel to Tennessee State for a midweek doubleheader on Tuesday, April 19. First pitch is slated for 2 p.m. in Nashville, Tennessee.