Box Score | Updated Bracket | Championship Central

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla., May 16, 2018—Florida A&M, the No. 2 seed out of the Southern Division, opened the 2018 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Baseball Championship with a 14-4, seven-inning win over Maryland Eastern Shore at Sliwa Stadium on Wednesday.
 
The Rattlers will advance to take on Coppin State, the Northern Division’s top seed, on Thursday at 3:30 p.m. The Hawks fall to the elimination bracket and will play again at 3:30 p.m.
 
After three innings, FAMU (25-28) had a 6-1 lead, thanks to two runs in the second and four in the third – the big blow in that inning a two-run bomb from 2018 First Team selection Jacky Miles, Jr.
 
But the hawks clawed their way back into things; following a Dominic DeBlasie two-run double in the top of the fifth, Maryland Eastern Shore (12-40) cut the Rattlers’ lead to 6-4.
 
Dallas Oliver doubled home a run in the bottom of the fifth, kicking off a frame in which Florida A&M pushed across seven runs to break the game wide open. John Capra also doubled home a pair of runs in the inning, and Brian Davis added an RBI single.
 
Willis McDaniel also tripled to left-center, plating a pair, before Octaiven Moyer ended the rally with a sac fly to give the Rattlers a 13-6 lead.
 
Kaycee Reese added a solo shot in the bottom of the sixth to push the game to its final margin.
 
McDaniel led the Rattlers with a 3-for-5 effort at the plate, and he was one of five Florida A&M players to drive in a pair of runs. Each of FAMU’s nine starting position players recorded at least one hit.
 
DeBlasie led the Hawks, going 2-for-2 at the plate with two RBIs.
 
Ryan Anderson went the distance for the Rattlers, striking out five in picking up his fourth win of 2018.