The Florida A&M baseball program has Rattlers near and far on the edge of their seats and filled with excitement once again.
Over the weekend, the team dropped from the No.1 in the Southwestern Athletic Conference with an impressive 13-5 conference record tied with the Bethune Cookman Wildcats.
The Rattlers fell to the Wildcats in each game of the away series (3-8, 2-5, 2-9). Overall, the FAMU program is 19-18 picking, up big wins in the non-conference schedule against Mercer University and the University of West Georgia.
With just four weekend conference meet-ups left in the 2025 season, the Rattlers have reached the peak.
The season started off at home facing the Golden Lions of The University of Arkansas-Pine Bluff, where the Rattlers sweeped the weekend. After dropping one game throughout the next two-week span against Alabama State University and Prairie View A&M University, the 2024 SWAC runner-ups, Jackson State University, couldn’t escape Tallahassee without three losses by more than three runs in each win. The JSU Tigers are 5-10 in the SWAC, ranked eighth.
The Rattlers three keys to win a baseball game are ringing true, after two out of three wins against the Mississippi Valley Delta Devils.
“Hit, pitch, and you play defense,” Jamey Shouppe says. “If you do two of the three things, you have a pretty good chance of winning the ball game.”
Shouppe was named the first full-time head coach of the Florida A&M baseball program in 2013, after spending 21 years as the pitching coach at his alma mater, Florida State University. He joined the program after back-to-back seasons with 7-45 records.
While the coaching staff, including Brett Richardson- head assistant coach, is a major part in the team’s success, the players are just as committed to the winning mindset.
Leading the SWAC in pitching is FAMU’s Caleb Granger, while freshman left-handed pitcher Garrett Workman, is another player to watch. Workman pitched the entire game, facing 24 batters, striking out seven allowing three hits and one run in the Jackson State Saturday matchup.
“When you have a defensive showing like that,” Shouppe said. “It always makes you feel good.”
The Rattlers will return home Wednesday, playing a non-conference game against Mercer University, before facing the 2024 SWAC Champions, Grambling State University at home.
FAMU will face Alabama A&M, Texas Southern, and Alcorn State all for the first time this season ahead of the 2025 SWAC Tournament.
The tournament will take place May 21 through May 25 in Birmingham. The top eight teams in the standings will have the opportunity to play for the championship trophy.