Jared Jeffries said persistence was a key factor that helped the Florida A&M Baseball team improve to 2-3-1 this past weekend in Savannah, Ga.
The Rattlers started their weekend off against Delaware State University winning 8-6. Miguel Parga was the winning pitcher for the rattlers who allowed just two hits.
Offensively the Rattlers were lead by Elliott Bonner and Stavone Martin who both had a perfect hitting percentage at the plate followed by Derrick Shaw who went 3-4.
The Rattlers second win came from defeating Savannah State 16-14. The Rattlers were lead by Kendreick Durant and John Scott who both went 1-1 at the plate followed by Jared Jeffries who went 2-3 at the plate.
In the first two games the Rattlers wanted to win and came into the games prepared.
“We defiantly made sure we gave as much effort as we could the whole game and have a winning attitude,” Jeffries said.
In the third game the Rattlers tied with Norfolk University 12-12. The Rattles took the lead at the end of the second inning 9-0. After the second inning the Rattlers allowed the Spartans to make a comeback.
Derrick Shaw and Justin Abney lead the Rattlers at the plate, going 2-3 followed by Tobi Adeyemi, and Jeffries who both went 3-5.
“In that last game, what happened was the defense,” Assistant coach Brett Richardson said. “We didn’t make routine plays defensively and that kind of allowed them to get back in the game and score some cheap runs.”
“Once they scored some cheap runs, they got the momentum on their side and it was hard for us to stop them and get going again.”
The difference between the UNF Classic and this past tournament was a matter of nerves and being motivated.
“Like we were really nervous in the first classic, and this weekend we wanted to prove a point,” Stephen Dollar, a freshmen from Monticello, Ga., said. “Coach Lucas said it was an embarrassment and we didn’t want to embarrass him anymore.”
Jeffries said the team overall, played well all weekend.
“We struggled at times, but whenever it mattered most we were really clutch,” Dollar said. “In the last innings we came back and kept battling and hitting homeruns when we needed them.”
Two things that the Rattlers improved on to help them win were pitching and their batting.
“We pitched a little better and we defiantly swung the bat better,” Richardson said.