BOX SCORE

ORMOND BEACH, Fla. - Florida A&M wasted no time in setting the tone offensively while Kenya Pereira threw a two-hit shutout as top-seeded FAMU defeated Coppin State 6-0 in its MEAC Tournament opener on Thursday.

After a 1-2-3 top of the first, FAMU freshman Jamesia Stoudemire led the bottom frame off with a leadoff triple to right followed by Tashay Irvis' bunt. Amber Fullwood singled to right and a CSU fielding error led to a pair of runs for the early 2-0 margin.

That was all FAMU needed as Pereira held CSU hitless over the next three innings. The Lady Rattlers returned to the scoreboard in the fifth as Stoudemire's RBI single scored Shakay Nixon followed by Alexis Day's three-RBI triple to left center.

Coppin State avoided the no-hitter with a hit in the sixth and another in the seventh but that would be the only offense they would muster as FAMU advances to play the winner of Delaware State and North Carolina A&T State at 7 p.m.

Day topped all FAMU batters with three hits and three RBI while Stoudemire and Irvis each had a pair of hits. Pereira struck out six batters in a complete game effort on the mound.