FAMU baseball flips setbacks to make a triumphant run at program's first SWAC title

The game of baseball is oftentimes explained as one of failure.

Yet it's also a game where teams hope finding their rhythm is a sign of good things to come.

Enter Florida A&M.

The Rattlers dropped nine of their last 12 regular-season games.

They then tumbled into the losers' bracket in the Southwestern Athletic Conference Tournament (SWAC) after squandering a four-run lead in the bottom of the ninth inning against defending champ and No. 1 seed Alabama State in their second game.

Sunday, however, was a far different view for FAMU.

The Rattlers (29-28) hoisted their first SWAC championship trophy by defeating longtime rival Bethune-Cookman (33-27) 9-6 at Georgia Tech's Russ Chandler Stadium in Atlanta.

The Rattlers also earned the conference's automatic bid into the NCAA Tournament for the third time in school history since 2015, all under head coach Jamey Shouppe.

"I'm feeling pretty good," Shouppe told media following the game. "I love to see these guys celebrate the hard work they put in over the course of the season. Now it's time to go to the regional and we're excited."

FAMU won four consecutive games ― and beat Alabama State twice during that stretch on the way to winning the SWAC. And if the finale reminded fans of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC), there's a good reason.

Prior to the Rattlers joining the SWAC in July 2021, FAMU and B-CU combined to win eight of the 10 MEAC baseball tournament titles from 2010 to 2020.

The win was the Rattlers 23rd conference title and ninth since joining NCAA Division I in 1978. Shouppe has coached FAMU to three conference titles ― MEAC (2015 and 2019) and SWAC (2023).

Baseball is also the first FAMU men's team to win a SWAC championship since it joined the conference.

The Rattlers jumped to a 3-0 advantage in the top of the first inning, and always managed to answer when the Wildcats scored.

B-CU pulled within 4-3 in the third inning, but FAMU answered with a run in the top of the fourth. The Rattlers scored four runs in the final three innings to keep the Wildcats at arm's length.

FAMU had 13 hits, led by three apiece from Sebastian Greico and Ty Hanchey. The pair also each knocked in three runs and had home runs. Four Rattlers finished with multiple hits.

FAMU starter Hunter Viets threw a season-high 127 pitches in 7.2 innings. Zach Morea finished the game for the Rattlers and faced six batters ― allowing two hits and one run.

Morea, a Chiles alum, was also named the SWAC Tournament Most Valuable Player (MVP) for earning four saves in the Rattlers' final four wins.

"These guys never gave up," Viets told ESPN. "I'm glad that I could go out there and do what I could do and gave it all on the line."

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FAMU turns late-season shortcomings and early tournament blunder upside down to claim the SWAC

After a promising start, FAMU struggled in the homestretch of the regular season against its SWAC East opponents that also made the tournament ― Alabama State, Bethune-Cookman, and Jackson State.

The Rattlers went 3-9 in those final four regular-season series, dropping them to a No. 3 seed in the postseason.

Then, FAMU had to adjust to players missing games or playing reduced roles as starters Janmikell Bastardo (leg contusion), Ty Jackson (pulled hamstring), and Jared Weber (illness), and Hanchey (hand) all battled injuries as the SWAC tournament approached.

They all participated and were integral in the the Rattlers' championship run.

Alongside FAMU's single-season homerun record holder Greico, Bastardo homered three times in six SWAC Tournament games.

Weber led the team in 12 hits during the tournament. Hanchey followed with 10 and Jackson added six.

FAMU made easy work of Texas Southern in the first round of the double-elimination tournament Wednesday. But the Rattlers were forced to play three straight elimination games ― two on Friday and one on Saturday after the second round loss to Alabama State.

FAMU eliminated Prairie View A&M in the quarterfinals and Alabama State in the semifinals in the process.

Pitching was a concern all season.

As ace pitcher Viets waited for another potential start, relievers Tre Simmons, Raylan Wagner, and Morea all contributed to FAMU's four consecutive wins over three days.

Morea earned the moniker 'Everyday Morea' after pitching in all of six of FAMU's SWAC Tournament games, primarily as the closer.

FAMU coach Jamey Shouppe continues to sustain success in Rattlers baseball program

Next for the Rattlers is the NCAA Regional Tournament.

The field of 64 teams that will compete for the 2023 NCAA college baseball championship will be announced on ESPN2 at noon Monday. If past history is any indication, FAMU is expected to be a No. 4 seed in the Florida regional in Gainesville.

FAMU will be looking for its first NCAA Tournament victory, going 0-4 in its previous two appearances.

Prior to Shouppe's 2013 arrival, the Rattlers last conference title was in 1994 as MEAC champions under head coach Joe Durant.

The NCAA Regionals will start on Friday, June 2 and conclude on Monday, June 5.

FAMU Baseball's SWAC All-Tournament Selections

Outfielder Janmikell Bastardo

First baseman Sebastian Greico

Pitcher Zach Morea

Pitcher Hunter Viets

Third baseman Jared Weber

Gerald Thomas, III covers Florida A&M University Athletics for the Tallahassee Democrat. Contact him via email at gdthomas@gannett.com or on Twitter @3peatgee.

Follow the Tallahassee Democrat on social media at Tallahassee Democrat (Facebook), TallahasseeDemocrat (Instagram), and @TDOnline (Twitter)

This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: FAMU Baseball: Rattlers earn first men's SWAC title in program history