CORAL GABLES, Fla. – Florida A&M (24-17, 14-4 MEAC) belted three home runs, but a late rally wasn’t enough as No. 4 Miami (33-8, 14-5 ACC) used two big innings to defeat FAMU by a score of 12-7 at Alex Rodriguez Park on Sunday afternoon.
The Rattlers were within two runs at 5-3 with the bases loaded and two outs in the fifth inning, but were unable to plate any runs. The Hurricanes then scored seven runs, including a grand slam from Randy Batista in the home half of the seventh inning, before FAMU tried to rally with four runs in the eighth inning for the final score of 12-7.
With three home runs today, the Rattlers have 32 on the season, which ties the most in a season (2004) in the last 13 years of FAMU baseball.
Five different Rattlers, Marlon Gibbs (3-for-4), Alec Wong (2-for-5), Jacky Miles, Jr. (2-for-4), Brian Davis (2-for-5) and AJ Elkins (2-for-4), had multi-hit performances. Miles, Jr. finished the day with two home runs, three runs scored and two RBI, while Gibbs also had two RBI.
Chase Jarrell (5-3) pitched 6.1 innings in the loss and allowed six runs (five earned) on nine hits with two strikeouts and two walks.
In the top of the second inning, Miles, Jr. took the first pitch over the wall in left field, for his second home run of the season, to give the Rattlers an early 1-0 lead.
FAMU increased its’ lead to 2-0 in the third inning as Gibbs belted his fourth home run of the season with one out.
Miami used a five-run third inning on five hits to take its’ first lead of the game at 5-2. Joe Gomez led off with a double down the right line and moved to third as Batista reached on a bunt single to place runners on the corners. Carl Chester then plated Gomez from third with an RBI single to center field. With runners on first and second, Christopher Barr advanced the runners with a sac bunt and Brandon Lopez was walked to load the bases. Johnny Ruiz scored Batista with an infield single to tie the game at 2-2 and Jacob Heyward reached on an RBI fielder’s choice as Chester came home for the go-ahead run. Willie Abreu’s two-run double down the left line scored both Heyward and Lopez for the final two runs of the inning.
The Rattlers would cut the lead to 5-3 with a single run in the sixth inning and had worked the bases loaded with two outs. Miles, Jr. hit his second home run of the game, deep over the fence in left field, to cut the Miami lead to 5-3. Brian Davis followed with a single up the middle, Cameron Johnson and Elkins each singled with two outs to load the bases, but Willis McDaniel stranded the bases loaded as he went down swinging for the third out.
The Hurricanes put the game away with seven more runs (one unearned and six team unearned) in the seventh inning, including a grand slam from Batista off of Kendal Weeks, to put the game out of reach at 12-3.
Florida A&M made a late rally with four runs on four hits in the eighth inning in what proved to be the final score of 12-7. Miles, Jr. was hit-by-pitch to start the inning and Davis followed with a ground rule double to right field that put runners on second and third with no outs. With one out, Johnson walked to load the bases and Elkins plated Miles, Jr. with an RBI single through the right side. The bases were still loaded and one out as McDaniel’s sac fly to left brought home Davis from third. Johnson came around to score the third run of the inning as Gibbs doubled down the left line and Elkins moved to third. An RBI single to third base by Wong plated Elkins for the final Rattler run of the game.
Miami closer Bryan Garcia came in and struck out three of the final four batters he faced to end the game.
Danny Garcia (7-3) earned the win as he worked 5.1 innings with three runs on six hits with three strikeouts and two walks.
With FAMU out of conference this weekend, NC Central’s 2-0 loss at Savannah State on Sunday secured a top-two seed for FAMU in the MEAC Southern Division.
Florida A&M will return to action on Tuesday against Alabama State at Moore-Kittles Field.
***Courtesy FAMU Athletics
