FAMU Baseball Triumphs in Home Opener Despite Weather Challenges
Despite facing inclement weather and a tough Eastern Illinois Panthers team, the defending SWAC Champion Florida A&M University (FAMU) baseball team started their season strong, winning two out of three games in their home-opening series.
The Rattlers kicked off the series with a nail-biting 6-5 victory followed by a solid 4-0 win. However, they narrowly missed a series sweep, losing the final game in the 10th inning with a score of 9-8.
Weather conditions posed a significant challenge throughout the series, with cold and rainy weather forcing the team to adjust their schedule. Originally planned as a three-day series, the games were condensed into two days, with temperatures hovering around a chilly 50 degrees Fahrenheit.
In the opening game, head coach Jamey Shouppe led the Rattlers to a thrilling one-point victory against EIU. Broedy Poppell and Jalen Niles stood out with two hits each, with Niles also scoring twice in the season opener.
Saturday’s rain led to several delayed starting times and forced the cancellation of some games. However, the Rattlers bounced back in the second game, played on Sunday at noon, shutting out the Panthers with a strong performance from pitcher Tre Simmons. Simmons pitched five innings, allowing just one hit while striking out six batters.
Despite EIU’s efforts in the second game of the Sunday doubleheader, the Panthers managed to avoid a sweep, securing their first win of the season with a 9-8 victory. Lucas Loos led the offensive charge with three hits against FAMU pitching, supported by Mike O’Conor and Cole Gober, each contributing two hits.
Overall, the series was a testament to FAMU’s resilience and skill, overcoming weather obstacles to secure a successful start to their season.
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