TALLAHASSEE, Fla. | The Florida A&M University baseball team pounded out eight hits, but could not overcome a pair of errors as the Rattlers fell to Mercer, 7-2, on Wednesday afternoon at Moore-Kittles Field.
Florida A&M (1-2) and Mercer were tied at 1 through three innings, but the Bears (5-0) plated two runs in the fifth to grab a 3-1 lead.
Both teams scored one run in the seventh, but the Bears put the game away with three runs in the ninth.
How It Happened
Mercer plated one run in the top of the second inning to grab an early 1-0 lead, but Florida A&M answered in the bottom of the frame.
Jared Weber began the inning with a single to left center and moved to third on a base hit to center by LJ Bryant. Weber was out at the plate when Cirr-Nicholls Bohannon reached on a fielder's choice for the first out. Seyjuan Lawrence followed with a single to right center, plating Bryant and tying the game at 1.
The Bears broke the 1-1 tie in the fifth with two runs on three hits for the 3-1 lead.
The score remained 3-1 until the seventh when Angelo DiSpinga belted a homer deep over the right field wall to extend the Mercer lead to 4-1.
The Rattlers closed the gap to 4-2 in the bottom of the frame as Weber reached on an infield hit and moved to third on a Bryant single up the middle. Bohannon bounced into a double play, which allowed Weber to score from third.
However, Mercer put the game away in the ninth.
Inside the Numbers
> Florida A&M finished with two runs on eight hits, committed two errors and left five on base
> Jared Weber, LJ Bryant and Seyjuan Lawrence each registered two hits
> Josh Barr (0-1) started on the mound and gave up three runs on six hits, with two walks and a pair of strikeouts in five innings pitched
> Zach Morea, Morgan Mendez, Landon Nevill, Jeremiah McCollum and Tommy Ben worked in relief
> Mercer finished with seven runs on 10 hits and stranded eight on base
> Angelo DiSpinga went 3-for-4, with a solo home run and scored three times to lead the Bears at the plate
> RJ Yeager also recorded two hits
> Josh Farmer (1-0) earned the win in five innings pitched. He gave up one run on three hits and struck out four
> Tommy Green and Hunter Phillips pitched in relief
> Hunter Phillips earned the save in 2.1 innings of work as he fanned seven and walked one, while scattering just one hit
Up Next
Florida A&M returns to action on Tuesday with a trip to Gainesville, Fla. to take on Florida. First pitch from Alfred A. McKethan Stadium is scheduled for 6 p.m.
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