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| COURTESY: FAMU SPORTS INFORMATION |
The Rattler bats came alive early in this one, putting up four runs in the 1st inning. After Jordan Curtis and John Capra each walked, Dallas Oliver drove in Curtis on a single up the middle. Octavien Moyer would follow up with his 2nd homerun of the season, driving in Capra and Oliver to make the score 4-0 FAMU after one inning of play. Oliver, who started the game on the mound for the Rattlers, would help his own cause again in the 2nd inning, driving in John Capra on a single to right field.
After two scoreless innings by FAMU starting pitcher Dallas Oliver, Alcorn State got on the board in the 3rd inning. Nicholas Hayes-Saltare, who reached on a single, scored on a groundout to the 2nd baseman by Wallas Rios Jimenez. Wilbert Malphus, who also reached base on a single, would then be driven in by an A.J. Makarewics double, making the score 5-2 FAMU after three innings of play.
The Braves would add two more runs in the 4th inning. Kyle Jenkins led off the inning with a single, and Brendly Martina later got hit by a pitch. Both runners would then score on a double to the left field wall by Nicholas Hayes-Saltare, making the score 5-4 FAMU.
The Rattlers answered with a huge 4th inning, scoring 12 runs on 7 hits. Kodi Russ led off the inning with a walk, followed by a Malachi Mitchell hit by pitch. Jordan Curtis would also walk, and John Capra capitalized with a double to left, scoring Russ and Mitchell. Jordan Curtis then scored on a bases loaded hit by pitch by Octavien Moyer, and Capra also scored on a bases loaded hit by pitch by Willis McDaniel. The Braves pitching struggles continued, as Dallas Oliver scored from 3rd on a wild pitch and Bret Maxwell drove in three more runs with a homerun to left field. After reaching on a double, Kodi Russ scored on a single by Malachi Mitchell, who would then score on a John Capra double down the left field line. Capra then scored on a single to right center by Dallas Oliver. Octavien Moyer drove in Oliver on a double before the inning finally came to an end.
FAMU did not let up, adding another run in the 5th inning, making the score 18-4. After reaching base on a walk, Eric Blanc advanced to 2nd base on a wild pitch. He then advanced to 3rd on a passed ball, and scored on a ground ball to shortstop by Malachi Mitchell. The Rattlers were still not done, tacking on another three runs in the 6th thanks to a solo homerun to left field by John Capra, a Bret Maxwell double that scored Willis McDaniel, and an RBI single by Javon Byrd.
Both coaches agreed to call the game going into the bottom of the 7th inning. Dallas Oliver earned his first win of the season, throwing 5 innings, giving up four earned runs while striking out five. William Walter threw two scoreless innings to wrap up the game.
Alcorn State starting pitcher George Osborne was handed his 2nd loss of the season, giving up seven earned runs through 3 innings. Joe Smith, Tyler Smith and Brandon Thomas combined to pitch the last 3 innings of the game for the Braves.
Game 2 – Coming off a big win, Florida A&M looked to sweep the Saturday double header against Alcorn State University.
The Rattlers picked up right where they left off, and John Capra stayed hot, hitting a home run in the 1st inning to give FAMU an early 1-0 lead.
Alcorn State answered in the 3rd inning with a two run homerun off the bat of Der’Vincent Hamilton, giving the Braves a 2-1 lead going into the bottom half.
This lead would not last a full inning, as Florida A&M quickly regained the lead in the bottom half of the 3rd. After reaching base on a single to right, Cameron Johnson would later score on a sacrifice fly to left field by John Capra, tying the game at two. Dallas Oliver would then drive in Kaycee Reese on a single to right field. Octavien Moyer then kept the inning alive with a 2 out single, driving in Jordan Curtis and Dallas Oliver, making it a 5-2 game for the Rattlers.
Wilbert Malphus led off the Braves’ half of the 4th with a double, and would later score on a single by Wallas Rios Jimenez to shorten the Rattlers’ lead to 5-3.
FAMU blew the game open in the 5th inning. John Capra led off the inning with a single, and Dallas Oliver followed that up with a double to right center. Both runners would score on an error by the center fielder on a fly ball hit by Jacky Miles. Octavien Moyer would then single to drive in Brian Davis, who reached on a hit by pitch. Willis McDaniel tacked on another run, driving in Moyer on a single, making the score 9-3 in favor of the Rattlers.
FAMU would go on to make it an 11-3 ball game in the 6th inning, thanks to a single by Jacky Miles that scored John Capra. Brian Davis also scored on a wild pitch after reaching base on a double.
After coming in to pitch for Josh Wilson in the 3rd inning, Chandellor Benton got the win for the Rattlers, throwing 4.1 innings, giving up only one earned run.
Bukhari Brown got his first loss of the season for the Braves. Brown was replaced by Jose Fernandez in the 3rd inning. Fernandez threw 2.1 innings before Regynold Johnson entered the game in the 6th.
Florida A&M will look to win their 3rd straight game on Sunday, February 24th, at 12:00 PM at Moore-Kittles Field, as they will take on Alcorn State in the final game of their four game series.
Game 1 Play-By-Play
Game 2 Play-By-Play
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