The Florida A&M baseball team failed to pick up their fifth win of the season as they fell to the Mercer University Bears 24-1. The loss dropped the Rattlers to 4-6 on the season.
FAMU struggled offensively as the team only managed to garner five hits compared to Mercer’s 21.
Junior outfielder Cory Franklin seemed to be the only Rattler able to get it going offensively. Franklin led the Rattlers, going two for three from the plate and batting in FAMU’s only run in the game. He drove in Reginald Grant on a single to left field.
FAMU’s batters did not have an answer for Mercer’s pitching, especially Brandon Barker. The Bears’ pitcher only allowed three hits, one earned run and struck out four.
However, with only three innings of work from Barker, Mercer’s defensive effort was done collectively. Their offensive did excellent as well.
The Rattlers found themselves behind early as Mercer struck first, scoring two runs in the bottom of the first inning. The Bears managed to keep up the offensive production up throughout the entire game.
Mercer scored four runs in both the second and third innings, added five more in the sixth and had their biggest offensive outburst in seventh inning when they scored seven runs.
The Bears were led by Thomas Carroll who was a perfect four-for-four from the plate and drove in four RBIs and also scored one run himself.
FAMU’s Heath Blackburn received credit for the lost.
Blackburn could not seem to find a rhythm as he allowed 10 hits and nine earned runs in two and two-thirds innings of work. Blackburn did manage to strike out two Mercer batters in his short outing.
The Rattlers will look to bounce back this Friday when the team travels to Tampa to face the University of South Florida in a three-game series. USF is only 2-6 on the season.
FAMU will return to Tallahassee for its next home game Tuesday as the North Carolina Central comes to Tallahassee for a two-game stand. NCC will be the Rattlers first conference opponent of the season.