FAMU Rattler Baseball Crushes Mercer 14-2

TALLAHASSEE, Florida -- Florida A&M (7-7, 4-2 MEAC) pounded out a season-high 16 hits and a season-high 14 runs to crush Mercer (9-9) 14-2 at Moore-Kittles Field on Tuesday afternoon. FAMU has now won six of its last eight games. Five Rattlers had a multi-hit game including Marlon Gibbs who went 3-for-5 with a double, four RBI and three runs scored. Kendal Weeks (2-1) had a strong outing on the mound, pitching eight innings and only allowing two runs (one earned) on three hits with two strikeouts for the win.

Jared Walker went 2-for-3 with a run scored, Alec Wong was 2-for-4 with two RBI and two runs scored, Jeremy Barlow went 2-for-4 with two RBI and AJ Elkins was 2-for-4 with a double and two runs scored. Robby Jolley recorded a pinch hit, three-run, home run in the eighth inning for his first hit of the season.

The Rattlers scored three runs on four hits in the first inning to grab a 3-0 lead. Walker led off the home half of the first with a bunt single and moved to second on a passed ball. Wong also reached on a bunt single, which allowed Walker to advance to third with no outs. Gibbs plated Walker for the first run of the game while reaching on a fielder’s choice. Gibbs then stole second and came around to score on Ryan Kennedy’s RBI single back up the middle. Still with one out, Brian Davis singled through the left side and a wild pitch moved the runners to second and third. Kennedy later scored the third run of the inning on Barlow’s RBI groundout.

Charlie Madden led off the top of the second inning, on the first pitch, with a solo home run to left for the Bears to cut the lead to 3-1.

FAMU scored four runs in the fifth inning to extend their lead to 7-1. Gibbs, Barlow and Peter Jackson each had a RBI in the inning as eight Rattlers went to the plate.

Florida A&M increased its’ lead to 8-1 with a run in the sixth inning. AJ Elkins led off the sixth with a double off the fence in left and went to third on a sacrifice bunt from Walker. Wong’s sac fly to left scored Elkins for the eighth run of the game.

The Bears would score an unearned run in the eighth to make the score 8-2. Pinch hitter Jackson Ware reached on an error and went to second on a groundout before scoring from second on Nate Moorhouse’s RBI single up the middle.

The Rattlers poured on six more runs in the bottom of the eighth for a final score of 14-2. Jolley recorded his first hit of the season in the inning, a three-run home run to left. Gibbs also had a two-run single in the inning to highlight the scoring.

Mercer starter Ryan Askew (2-2) who’s normally in the weekend rotation for the Bears suffered the loss. Askew allowed three runs in the first inning on four hits.

Florida A&M and Mercer finish up the mid-week series on Wednesday afternoon at Moore-Kittles Field. First pitch is scheduled for 4:00 PM.

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COURTESY FLORIDA A&M UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION