GREENSBORO, N.C. – Florida A&M (21-10, 11-1 MEAC) posted its’ second mercy rule win of the weekend to complete the sweep of North Carolina A&T (8-27, 3-9 MEAC) by a score of 17-7 at War Memorial Stadium on Sunday afternoon. Cameron Johnson helped pace the Rattler offense as he finished the day with five RBI, while going 2-for-5 with a grand slam in the fifth inning. Ryan Hutson added four RBI with his first career home run. FAMU finished the weekend with 44 runs scored on 36 hits with seven doubles, three triples and five home runs.
Five different Rattlers (Alec Wong, Marlon Gibbs, Brian Davis, Ben Ellzey and Johnson) recorded multiple hits in the win.
Rattler starter Chase Jarrell (4-1) picked up his fourth win of the season after working five innings and allowed six runs (five earned) on nine hits with two strikeouts and one walk. JoJo Durden recorded his first save of the season after throwing the final three innings with three strikeouts and one run allowed on two hits.
FAMU scored first with two quick runs in the top of the first inning. Gibbs tripled into right center with one out and scored as Ellzey dropped in a two-out RBI single to center field. Dylan Dillard, who walked earlier in the inning with two outs, came around to score as Johnson recorded an RBI single into right field.
The Aggies answered by scoring three runs in the home half of the first inning to take a 3-2 lead. Timothy Ravare led off with a single to center field, but Willis McDaniel misplayed the ball and allowed Ravare to advance to third base. Milton Rivera then followed with a single just off the glove of Wong, as the infield was playing in, to plate Ravare from third. After a single from Adan Ordonez, both runners advanced to second and third on a wild pitch. Dawnoven Smith then brought home Rivera with an RBI groundout. Ordonez scored the third run of the inning on a sac fly to center field from Ryan Jantsch.
Florida A&M regained the lead for good, at 6-3, with four runs in the third inning as Ryan Hutson hit his first career home run. With two outs and Dillard on first, Johnson drew a walk to put runners at first and second. Shane Gordon then reached on an error by the shortstop as Dillard came around to score the tying run. Hutson then crushed a three-run shot over the fence in left field to give FAMU the lead for good.
The Rattlers picked up a single run in the fourth inning to push their lead to 7-3. Gibbs reached on an error by the third baseman before Davis belted an RBI double into the left center gap to bring Gibbs home.
NC A&T cut the lead to 7-5 with two runs on two hits in the fourth inning. Myles Sowell led off with a walk and Kyle Clary singled to center to put runners on the corners with one out. Keenan Herring then grounded out to third, which allowed Sowell to score. Clary later came around to score the second run of the inning as Forest Kimbrell singled to center field.
FAMU took a commanding lead with seven runs in the top off the fifth inning that made the score 14-5. Gordon led off with a triple off the wall in left center and came home to score on a sac fly to center field by Hutson. Peter Jackson then reached on a bunt single, stole second and moved to third on a groundout to first by Wong. Jackson was later able to score as Gibbs recorded a two-out RBI single up the middle. Davis then singled to right and Miles, Jr. walked to load the bases. Ellzey would draw a bases loaded walk to score Gibbs before Johnson smacked a grand slam to center field, his second home run of his career in as many games.
North Carolina A&T scored a single run in the fifth inning for a score of 14-6. Ordonez doubled down the left line with one out and came around to score on a two-out RBI single up the middle from Jantsch.
The Rattlers tacked on two more runs that made the score 16-6 in the seventh inning. Davis was walked with one out and Miles, Jr. ripped an RBI double into the left center gap as Davis came home to score from first. Miles, Jr. then scored on Ellzey’s RBI single to center field.
NC A&T scored a single run in the bottom of the seventh inning and Florida A&M responded with a run of its’ own in the eighth inning for the final score of 17-7.
Aggie starter Will Greene (1-5) gave up eight runs (three earned) on seven hits with four walks, one strikeout and one hit batter for the loss.
The Rattlers return home on Tuesday, April 12 to face Jacksonville at Moore-Kittles Field. First pitch is scheduled for 5:00 PM.
***Courtesy FAMU Athletics
