GREENSBORO, North Carolina – Florida A&M (19-23, 15-9 MEAC) won the MEAC Southern Division title for the first time since 1997 after sweeping North Carolina A&T (9-36, 6-17 MEAC) by scores of 4-2 & 8-3 on Sunday afternoon at War Memorial Stadium. Winning the Division allows FAMU to have a First Round bye in next week’s MEAC Baseball Tournament. The two wins on Sunday helped the Rattlers set a program record with 15 MEAC wins this season after previously setting the record with 14 in 2014. Marlon Gibbs went 4-for-8 with a run scored, while Michael Birdsong was 3-for-6 with three runs scored on the day.FAMU reliever Kendal Weeks (4-2) worked 3 1/3 innings and allowed just one run on four hits with four strikeouts in game one. Cleveland Westbrook gave up just one unearned run and just one hit over the final 3 1/3 innings for his first save of the season. Game two starter Ryan Anderson (1-3) picked up his first win of the season after allowing just one run on five hits over 5 2/3 innings. Anderson had one strikeout and two walks.
NC A&T had an early scoring opportunity after loading the bases with one out on a pair of walks and a hit-by-pitch in the first inning. Micah Carmony was hit-by-pitch to load the bases to force an early pitching change as Weeks came in for relief. Weeks would strike out the first two batters he faced as the Aggies stranded the bases full.
The Rattlers jumped out to a 2-0 lead with a pair of unearned runs in the top of the second inning. With one out, Brian Davis reached on an error by A&T second baseman Milton Rivera and Birdsong singled to right field to place runners on first and second. Jeremy Barlow then followed with a double down the right line to score Davis before Peter Jackson’s sac fly to center plated Birdsong from third for the second run of the inning.
FAMU added another run in the top of the fourth inning to push the lead to 3-0. Birdsong singled up the middle with one out and took second on a wild pitch before scoring on Jackson’s two-out RBI single through the left side.
A&T got on the board with a single run in the fourth inining, to cut the Rattler lead to 3-1, despite loading the bases twice. Brandon Mitchell singled through the left side with one out and Brandon Wilkerson singled up the middle with two outs before Milton Rivera was hit-by-pitch to load the bases. This brought in Cleveland Westbrook from the pen to face Adan Ordonez. Ordonez would reach on a fielder’s choice as Rivera beat out the play at second base allowing Mitchell to score from third. Carmony then popped up to first base in foul territory for the final out leaving three runners on.
Florida A&M added an insurance run in the top of the seventh inning for a score of 4-1. Jared Walker opened the seventh inning with a double down the left line and moved to third on a wild pitch with one out. Gibbs then drove in Walker with an RBI single to center field for the only run of the inning.
The Aggies scored an unearned run in the bottom of the seventh inning for the final score of 4-2.
NC A&T game one starter Mitchell McQueen (0-3) allowed three runs (one earned) on six hits in four innings of work with one strikeout and one walk.
In game two FAMU came out hot with five runs in the top of the first inning for a quick 5-0 lead. Alec Wong, Gibbs and Kennedy recorded three consecutive hits with one out, including an RBI double from Kennedy, for the first run of the game. Elkins brought home Gibbs from third with a single up the line at third base. Birdsong would then draw a two-out walk to load the bases. Barlow followed with a two-run double into left center, but the left fielder misplayed the ball allowing Birdsong to also score on the play.
The Rattlers scored three more runs on three hits in the top of the third inning to put the game out of reach at 8-0. The inning was highlighted by Birdsong’s two-run single to right and Kennedy tied a career-high with his second double in as many at bats.
North Carolina A&T got on the board with a single run in the bottom of the fourth inning to make the score 8-1. Ordonez opened the home half of the fourth inning with a single to center and advanced to second on a wild pitch before scoring on an RBI single from Timothy Ravare.
A&T also scored single runs in the seventh and eighth innings for a final score of 8-3.
Charles Cantrell (0-7), who started game two for the Aggies, recorded just two outs in the first inning and allowed five runs (two earned) on four hits with one walk for the loss.
Florida A&M will conclude the regular season on Wednesday, May 6 at Troy. First pitch is scheduled for 6:00 PM ET..
As always, fans can follow Rattler Baseball on Twitter @FAMUAthletics and live stats will be available via www.FAMUAthletics.com.
FLORIDA A&M UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION
No comments:
Post a Comment