Mercer used a five-run first inning to lift themselves to a 9-4 win over  Florida A&M, Monday evening at Claude Smith Field.

Both FAMU (8-16) and Mercer (15-8) finished with 13 hits each.

The Rattlers were paced by both Tobi Adeyemi and Oscar Santalo as they both finished with three hits each.

Mercer had five Bears to finish with two hits each in Billy Burns, Jacob Tanis, Thomas Carroll, Travis Benn and Derrick Workman.

Brandon Barber (2-0) picked up the win for Mercer as he gave up nine hits, two earned runs and striking out seven in six innings on the mound, while Jose Linton (1-3) received the loss for FAMU, allowing 11 hits, seven earned runs and striking out six in five and two-thirds innings.

In the top of the first, FAMU grabbed a 1-0 lead as Reginald Grant scored on a Corey Franklin single to right field.

Mercer would regain the lead in the bottom of the first with five runs as Burns scored on a Tanis single up the middle, followed by a Travis Benn single up the middle scoring both Thomas Carroll and Tanis.  Then both Austin Barren and Benn would score on a FAMU infielder's error, giving the Bears a 5-1 lead.

Santalo cut the Mercer's lead to 5-2 as he scored on a Grant ground out to shortstop in the top of the second inning.

Carroll increased the Bears' lead to 6-3 as he scored on a Workman double to left center in the bottom of the third inning.

Mercer increased their lead to 9-2 on back-to-back homers by Tanis and Barrett in the bottom of the sixth inning.

FAMU picked up two more runs in the top of the eighth inning as Jarryd Reid score on a Scott Sheplak fielder's choice, then Sheplak would score on a Santalo double to right center for the 9-4 final.