Florida A&M Rallies To Defeat Jacksonville
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – After trailing 4-0 in the fourth inning, Florida A&M (22-24, 13-10 MEAC) rallied to defeat Jacksonville (15-28, 8-12 A-SUN) 6-5 on Wednesday at Moore-Kittles Field. The win was the ninth straight victory for the Rattlers in games decided by one run. Ryan Kennedy, Jeremy Barlow and Michael Birdsong each recorded two hits in the win for the FAMU offense. Cameron Sims earned the win on the mound while Matthew Schaeffer notched his first save of the season.
Sims (3-0) pitched four solid innings of middle relief and only allowed one run on five hits with one strikeout. Schaeffer worked the final two scoreless innings with two strikeouts to earn his first save of the season.
JU grabbed a 1-0 lead in the top of the second on an RBI single by Alex Seifert. Scott Schaub singled off the leg of pitcher Javom Johnakin to lead off the inning and moved to second on a wild pitch. After Michael Babb was walked to put runners on first and second, Seifert’s RBI single to right plated Schaub for the first run of the game. Seifert wound up being thrown out at second trying to extend the play for the final out of the inning.
The Dolphins increased their lead to 4-0 in the fourth. Schaub and Dylan Dillard drew back-to-back walks to start the inning. Braddock Rowe tried to lay down a sac bunt to move the runners up, but a throwing error to first by Johnakin allowed Schaub to score and leaving runners at second and third. Babb’s sac fly to left scored Dillard to make the score 3-0 and Garret Ruckel’s RBI double brought home Rowe for the inning’s third run.
FAMU answered with three runs in the bottom of the fourth inning to make the score 4-3. Kennedy opened the home half of the fourth with a double to left center and Barlow followed with an infield single to put runners on first and second with no outs. Birdsong was hit-by-pitch to load the bases then Ryan Hutson reached on a fielder’s choice allowing Kennedy to score from third for FAMU’s first run of the game. Kendal Weeks then walked with one out as Florida A&M loaded the bases again. Peter Jackson reached on another fielder’s choice scoring Birdsong. With runners on the corners, Hutson and Jackson then pulled off the double steal as Hutson stole home for the third run.
Florida A&M tied the game at 4-4, in the fifth, on Birdsong’s RBI single. For the second consecutive inning, Kennedy and Barlow recorded back-to-back hits to get the offense going. With one out and runners on first and second, Birdsong’s bloop single into right scored Kennedy from second and moved Barlow to third. With two outs, Weeks walked again to load the bases only to see Jackson go down swinging to end the scoring threat.
Jacksonville regained the lead with a run in the top of the sixth inning, but the Rattlers came right back with a run of their own in the home half of the inning to tie the game at 5-5. Walker opened with a walk and advanced to third on a single from Bennie Robinson. Robinson took second on the play, on an error, as the right fielder was unable to pick up the ball cleanly. Marlon Gibbs tied the game at five as he ripped an RBI single through the right side.
The Rattlers took their first lead of the game and proved to be all they needed with a run in the seventh. After back-to-back walks to Robinson and Gibbs loaded the bases for FAMU with two outs, Dolphin reliever Nathan Disch walked in the go-ahead run as Kennedy walked on five pitches to bring home Jackson.
Jacksonville reliever Disch (0-3) was the losing pitcher after giving up one run in 1 2/3 innings with four walks and two strikeouts.
FAMU had lost 20 straight to Jacksonville before the 6-5 win back on April 8. The Rattlers have now won two in a row over JU.
FAMU will travel to Jacksonville tomorrow for game two of the mid-week series. First pitch is scheduled for 6:00 pm.
For complete story, visit www.famuathletics.com
NSU-JSU Series Canceled, Replaced by Intrasquad Game
NORFOLK, Va. – Due to an unforeseen transportation issue with Jackson State University’s baseball team, the three-game baseball series between JSU and Norfolk State scheduled for this Thursday and Friday at Marty L. Miller Field has been canceled.
In lieu of playing Jackson State for its NSU Baseball vs. Hunger event on Thursday, the Spartans will instead play a seven-inning “Green and Gold” intrasquad game at 6 p.m. Thursday at Marty L. Miller Field. There is no admission fee to the game, but NSU will still be collecting monetary and canned good donations to benefit the Food Bank of Southeastern Virginia and the Eastern Shore. NSU will also honor former Spartan baseball greats Eric Crozier, Ron Dillard and Mel Wearing prior to the game as originally planned.
There will be no games played on Friday. NSU will honor its seven seniors prior to the graduation reception planned for Friday evening in the NSU Student Center.
For complete story, visit www.nsuspartans.com
Bethune-Cookman Falls Short at Auburn in Final Midweek Matchup
AUBURN, Ala. - The Bethune-Cookman Wildcats (22-28) fell to the Auburn Tigers (26-23) in the final midweek contest of the 2014 regular season, 9-1, Tuesday night at Plainsman Park.
The Wildcats claimed an early lead over the Tigers, as right fielder placed a one-out single in right center field in the third, later scoring from second on center fielder Eros Modena’s two-out single to left field, making his first appearance since incurring an injury in the April 19 contest at North Carolina A&T.
However, the Tigers countered with three big-hitting innings to take command of the game, putting up four, three and two runs from the fourth to sixth innings, respectively, to claim a 9-1 advantage.
Relievers Logan Blum and Byron Ferguson combined for a pair of innings to hold the Tigers at bay in the seventh and eighth, with neither allowing a hit.
Starter Gabriel Hernandez (1-3) takes the loss for the Wildcats, allowing four runs in three and two-thirds innings. For the Tigers, starter Daniel Koger (2-0) earned the win, pitching six innings with four strikeouts.
Left fielder Bryant Munoz went 2-for-3 to lead the Wildcats at the plate, while Modena was 1-for-3 with an RBI.
The Wildcats head out early on Wednesday as the long road swing continues on the west coast, traveling to Seattle for a three-game matchup with the University of Washington, running Thursday (May 8) to Saturday (May 10) at Husky Ballpark.
For complete story, visit www.bcuathletics.com
NCCU beats Presbyterian for first time
DURHAM, N.C. – Leading 2-1 with two men on and two outs in the bottom of the eighth, redshirt junior Eric Kimber’s double down the leftfield line gave North Carolina Central University the cushion it needed to beat Presbyterian College for the first-time in the modern era of the program with the 4-2 victory on Tuesday evening at the Durham Athletic Park.
The Eagles jumped out to a 2-0 advantage in the bottom of the first inning after both Tyson Simpson and Christian Triplett ripped RBI singles to get the maroon and gray out in front.
After giving up one hit in the top of the first and shutting down a bases loaded threat from PC, junior righty Grant Cain put on a stellar performance on-the-hill scattering five hits in his 8.0 innings of work.
PC finally got on the board in the top of the fourth inning after an Eagle error put Brandon Paul on base to start the frame as Jacob Midkiff brought him around on his RBI single to cut the margin to 2-1.
Neither team could make the best of golden opportunities as they each left runners on base throughout the game that included a leadoff double by sophomore James Dey in the bottom of the fourth.
After Cain gave up his only run in the fourth, he retired 10-of-the-next-12 batters in the game to keep the maroon and gray ahead.
It was in the bottom of the eighth after a Carter Williamson leadoff walk when Kimber’s crucial double put the advantage to 4-1 scoring pinch runner Jacobi Harris and Cory Williamson.
PC did not go away easily as the Blue Hose plated one run in the ninth on Midkiff’s second RBI single of the night, but sophomore Andrew Vernon along with the solid Eagle defense held off a bases loaded threat for the 4-2 win.
NCCU (18-29-1, 12-10 MEAC) had not won in the previous 11 contests including a 8-8 tie that occurred back on Feb. 19. The Eagles were held to five hits on the night in the win as the maroon and gray finished the home slate 13-10 on the year. This marks the second straight season in which head coach Jim Koerner and his squad earned a winning record at the DAP.
Cain (1-0) earned his first NCCU win and recorded a career-high six K’s in the victory, while Vernon recorded his team-best sixth save of the year.
The Eagles hit the road for two conference matchups beginning with Friday, May 9 at Savannah State at 2:00 p.m. at Tiger Baseball Field in Savannah, Ga., followed up with the resumption of NCCU and Florida A&M on Saturday, May 10 at 2:00 p.m. at Moore-Kittles Field.
For complete story, visit www.nccueaglepride.com
Coppin State suffers setback to Richmond
ANNE ARUNDEL, Md. – Coppin State junior leftfielder Jeffrey Fitch had three hits for the second consecutive game during a 7-3 setback to Richmond in non-conference baseball action at Joe Cannon Stadium Tuesday afternoon. It was the Eagles’ 2014 regular season finale.
Fitch raised his season average to .298. He is hitting .600 in Coppin State’s last two games. Fitch has seven multi-hit games this season and 28 hits overall. Seventeen of Fitch’s hits have come since April 18 against Norfolk State. He was one of three Eagles to register at least two hits against the Spiders.
Jack Kraft and John Walls had two hits each for Coppin State (11-32 overall). Both of Kraft’s hits were run-scoring singles in the fifth and the ninth inning. Alex Brown got Coppin State first with a RBI double in the second inning that scored Walls for a 1-0 lead. David Hamlett also singled during the game for the Eagles.
Coppin State’s pitching quartet of Yahya Muhammed, Darryl Martinez, Dillon O’Brien and Michael Roberts combined for 10 strikeouts.
For Richmond, sophomore first baseman Doug Kraeger was 3-for-5 with two doubles and three RBI. Freshman designated hitter Kurtis Brown had three hits and drove in a run, while sophomore outfielder Jansen Fraser had hit, a RBI and two runs scored.
Coppin State will return to action next Wednesday in the first round of the double-elimination Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) tournament against an opponent and time to be determined in Norfolk.
For complete story, visit www.coppinstatesports.com