TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Florida A&M (18-10, 8-1 MEAC) travels to North Carolina A&T (8-24, 3-6 MEAC) to close out the first half of the MEAC schedule this weekend. The Rattlers are coming off a tough 9-6, extra inning, loss to North Florida on Wednesday, but swept their last conference series against North Carolina Central last weekend. FAMU was 5-1 against the Aggies last season and are 10-2 against A&T under head coach Jamey Shouppe. NC A&T enters this weekend’s series 2-6 in its’ last eight games.
In the last 10 games played, AJ Elkins and Jacky Miles, Jr. each are swinging a hot bat. Elkins leads the team in those 10 games with a .412 (7-for-17) average, while Miles, Jr. is 13-for-32 at the plate for a .406 batting average. Florida A&M has 19 doubles, four triples and seven home runs in those games.
FAMU’s Saturday game two starting pitcher Ricky Page has only allowed one earned run this season against MEAC opponents in 19 innings of work for a 0.47 ERA. Page posted a 2.70 ERA against conference foes last season, his first year at Florida A&M. So far this season he leads the team in innings pitched (36.0) and in strikeouts (21). Sophomore 1B/C Brian Davis has seen definite improvement so far this season from his freshman campaign. Davis has improved in several key statistical areas through 28 games this season. He already has more RBI (28), hits (36), runs scored (25) and home runs (4) than he did in all of his freshman season in 2015.
Against MEAC competition, there are seven Rattlers hitting .355 or better as FAMU is hitting .321 as a team against conference opponents. The pitching staff as a whole is also putting up nice numbers through nine conference games as they boast a 1.82 ERA. Florida A&M has seven different pitchers with at least two appearances in conference games hold a 2.70 ERA or lower.
The Rattler offense continues to make strides offensively as it works to improved on its’ 2015 numbers. Last season finished with only two players batting at .300 or better. Currently this season the FAMU offense has nine players batting .310 or higher. We’re just a couple of games past the halfway point of the season and FAMU has 54 doubles, 10 triples and 22 home runs. In the entire 2015 season, Florida A&M finished with 61 doubles, three triples and 21 home runs.
***Courtesy FAMU Athletics
