The Florida A&M softball team is headed back to Tallahassee after a few losses over the weekend.
The Rattlers competed in the Mercer classic in Macon, Georgia, where they had a chance to go head-to-head with a few competitors.
The Rattler’s played against Austin Peay State University (APSU) in the Heart of Georgia Classic. In their first game, FAMU lost 2-3 after Austin Peay hit a walk-off home run.
In the second game, FAMU lost 2-9 despite getting seven hits, leaving ten runners on base. These games marked the start of the 2025 season for both teams.
Saint Joseph University. A team apart of the Atlantic 10 Conference that ended the 2024-2025 season with an overall 22-30 record. 14-12 being within their conference.
After competing against the Saint Joseph, the Rattlers faced a 7-2 loss after the Hawks held a 5-0 lead at the end of the opening inning.
The Rattlers left six runners on base, including four in scoring position, with a crucial bases-loaded opportunity in the final inning. Kayla Alexandre’s sacrifice fly put their first run on the board, while Braxtyn Battle added another in the seventh, ending the game at 7-2.
Samantha Smith took the loss after pitching just two-thirds of an inning.
Amari Brown came in throwing three scoreless innings, allowing only one hit, and striking out two.
The Rattlers, then played Mercer where the bears took a 4-2 victory over the Rattlers. The Bears were in the lead 4-0 until the fifth inning when both freshman infielders Monroe Oglesby hit a fly to bring in Braxtyn Battle.
Jamison Townsend then singled with one out to load the bases, and the Rattlers added another run after a hit-by-pitch. However, two straight strikeouts ended the inning
Sophomore Zoryana Hughes pitched four innings, allowing four hits and four runs in the loss.
While coming up short this past weekend, the Rattler’s have the Leonard Moody HBCU Collegiate Invitational to attend.
The Aggies are apart of the Colonial Athletic Association, ending the 2024 season with an overall record of 12-36 and conference record of 6-21
The Rattler’s will be their first matchup of the season going into this weekend.
With NCA&T fishing last season at the bottom of their conference and Rattlers not bringing home a victory, this matchup is important for both teams
The Rattlers will take on the Howard Bison later in the day on Friday before another doubleheader on Saturday against Coppin State and North Carolina Central. They will wrap up the tournament on Sunday with a matchup against Maryland Eastern Shore.
Although, the Eagles and Hawks are not conference games for the Rattler’s, the tournament will give the team a chance to continue to bounce back after a tough opening weekend.