NEW ORLEANS — Florida A&M had a pair of five-run innings to give themselves a 13-7 victory over the Prairie View A&M Panthers Friday.
"We are excited about winning our first game of the season. Hopefully we can build upon this win and play a little better brand of baseball tomorrow. I was definitely encouraged by the fight our team showed, being down 7 to 5 in the seventh inning and coming back to win by six runs," said head coach Jamey Shouppe.
LJ Bryant got things going for the Rattlers after going down 1-0. Bryant hit an RBI single to make it one all. A wild pitch by Prairie View's Keanu Maldonado sent Adam Haidermota home to give the Rattlers a 2-1 lead. The Rattlers will score three more runs to end the third inning with a 5-1 lead.
Prairie View regained the lead in the bottom of the fourth, scoring five runs of their own for a 6-5 lead. The Rattlers made an early pitching change, swapping starter Kelyn Fox for Zach Morea.
Prairie View held the lead for three innings until the bats got going again for the Rattlers. Jared Weber hit an RBI single, bringing Haidermota home to make it a 6-7 ball game. Joseph Pierini hit an RBI ground ball with Weber and Bryant on base to put the Rattlers back on top 8-7. The Rattlers ended the inning with a 10-7 lead.
A solo-homer from Haidermota in the eighth inning and a pair of runs off errors in the ninth would set the final score.
The Rattlers are back in action tomorrow against Alabama State at 7 p.m. Eastern.
