NORFOLK, VA. (famuathletics.com) — It was a big day for Florida A&M baseball (17-27, 11-8 MEAC) and head coach Jamey Shouppe, as the Rattlers got back on the winning track with a Saturday doubleheader sweep of Norfolk State (19-23, 15-8 MEAC).
FAMU overwhelmed the Spartans with a 12-4 victory in game one and scrapped its way to a 5-4 victory in game two.
Game 1
The Rattlers used a seven-run fifth inning to cruise to 12-4 rout of NSU in the opening game.
Tucker Rayburn led the way at the plate going 2-for-2 with four RBI. As a team, the Rattlers tallied 13 hits.
With FAMU up 2-1 in the top of the fifth and a runner on first base, Octavien Moyer hit a one-out double to put runners at second and third. Hot hitting freshman Joseph Pierini singled in a run to extend the Rattlers lead to 3-1.
Two batters later, Jared Weber stroked a ball past third base to plate the Rattler's fourth run of the game.
Seyjuan Lawrence and Rayburn followed up with back-to-back RBI doubles, stretching the lead to 7 runs. Robert Robinson picked up the seventh hit and seventh RBI of the inning when he singled through the right-side of the infield to put the game out of reach for the Spartans.
The Rattlers added three more runs over the next two innings.
FAMU starting pitcher Kyle Coleman (1-3) picked up his first win of the year, Coleman struck out one batter while allowing four runs on seven hits.
Zach Morea recorded his first save of the season, stifling NSU's bats for three innings, giving up just one hit and striking out three batters.
Game 2
FAMU put two quick runs on the board in the top of the first inning when LJ Bryant hit an RBI single, followed by an RBI double by Weber.
After tying the game at 2-2 in the third inning, NSU lost momentum in the fourth when a throwing error plated two runs, giving FAMU a 4-2 lead.
NSU tied the game up again after scoring runs in the fourth and fifth innings.
In the sixth inning, a leadoff double by Seyjuan Lawrence gave the Rattlers a much-needed spark. A fielding error by the Spartans moved Lawrence to third base with no outs.
Grant Rowell followed up with a single to score the go-ahead run.
Jeremiah McCollum earned his first save of the year, retiring three of the four batters he faced in the bottom of the seventh. Ben Krizen (2-2) picked up the win in relief, allowing just one run on two hits in 1.0 innings of work.
Josh Barr got the start, going 4.0 innings surrendering four runs on six hits.
On Deck
FAMU looks to claim the series victory over NSU as both teams wrap up the weekend series on Sunday. First pitch is set for 12 p.m.
