The baseball team‘s late surge wasn’t enough to combat a slow start as they fell short to Troy University on Tuesday, 7-6.
The Rattlers (3-5) trailed early, allowing five runs off in the first inning.
Troy (6-3) junior outfielder Trevin Hall launched a three-run homer to get things going for the Trojans. Senior first baseman Matt Howard doubled to advance two more runs.
The Rattlers just couldn’t seem to find a spark as they were held scoreless through three innings.
Florida A&M head coach Jamey Shouppe said he loved the way his team responded but isn’t satisfied with falling short.
“I’m tired of coming out on the short end and congratulating our team on a good fight,” Shouppe said. “We’ve got to have enough confidence in our ability to let the game come to us instead of trying to do too much when we are down one run.”
At the top of the fourth, the Trojans scored again as junior outfielder David Hall singled up the middle to bring in another run to increase the lead to seven.
Sophomore pitcher William Carrasco had a rough outing for the Rattlers, allowing nine hits and seven runs in four innings.
The Rattlers finally got on the scoreboard at the bottom of the fourth, thanks to an RBI single by junior catcher Jeremy Barlow.
Junior relief pitcher Blake Quillin was able to cool off the Trojans, only giving up two hits and striking out two in three innings.
The Rattlers started to mount a comeback in the sixth as senior infielder Bennie Robinson scored on an RBI single by sophomore infielder Michael Birdsong.
They inched closer after scoring four runs to cut the deficit to one, but that would be the last run the Rattlers would score as they were shut out in the final two innings.
Quillin said even with the setback, the team will be fine and continue to improve.
“We need to be more consistent,” Quillin said. “Consistently having good at-bats, a good approach and on the mound being able to throw strikes and just giving our team a chance to be great.”
Barlow was excited by the resiliency his team showed stringing together some runs and almost coming back.
“I loved the way our guys fought back,” Barlow said. “We kept getting the next guy to the plate and putting together runs, and that’s all we can ask for.”