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FAMU baseball and softball facing stiff competition in Easter Weekend SWAC matchups

Gerald Thomas III, Tallahassee Democrat
·3 min read

Like hunting for Easter eggs, Florida A&M baseball and softball looks to collect victories this weekend.

Both teams are in the thick of their Southwestern Athletic Conference schedule and play a three-game series for Easter weekend against league foes.

Here’s a look at the Rattlers’ upcoming schedule.

FAMU baseball looks to find footing against a surging Jackson State team

Florida A&M head coach Jamey Shouppe with the lineup before the game against U Conn in Round 2 of NCAA Regionals, Saturday, June 3, 2023, at Condron Family Ballpark in Gainesville, Florida. The Rattlers lost to the Huskies 9-6. [Cyndi Chambers/ Gainesville Sun] 2023
Florida A&M head coach Jamey Shouppe with the lineup before the game against U Conn in Round 2 of NCAA Regionals, Saturday, June 3, 2023, at Condron Family Ballpark in Gainesville, Florida. The Rattlers lost to the Huskies 9-6. [Cyndi Chambers/ Gainesville Sun] 2023

After dropping last weekend’s series at Bethune-Cookman and losing a road midweek game at Troy, Rattlers baseball returns to Moore-Kittles Field for the first time since March 12.

The Rattlers (9-16, 4-2 SWAC) will square off against the Jackson State Tigers (19-5, 5-0 SWAC), the SWAC East’s lone team with an undefeated conference record. JSU is coming off a three-game weekend sweep over Mississippi Valley State.

The FAMU-JSU series will be the battle of the SWAC homerun leaders.

FAMU’s Sebastian Greico and JSU’s Lenny Montesano are tied atop the conference with five homeruns.

However, the sluggers will face bullpens that will challenge their offensive efforts.

Rattlers ace pitcher Caleb Granger is third in the SWAC with a 2.36 earned run average. Tigers relief pitcher Christian Womble follows at fifth with a 3.27 and a SWAC-leading five saves. Fellow JSU pitcher CJ Lewis leads the SWAC with five wins.

The FAMU and JSU will meet for a game per day from Thursday and Saturday.

FAMU softball looks to stay hot in rivalry series at Bethune-Cookman

Florida A&M Rattlers outfielder Neriah Lee celebrates on first base alongside assistant coach Jane'a Mobley during a home game against the Texas Tech Raiders on Friday, February 9, 2024. It was FAMU's first time hosting an opening day game since 2015.
Florida A&M Rattlers outfielder Neriah Lee celebrates on first base alongside assistant coach Jane'a Mobley during a home game against the Texas Tech Raiders on Friday, February 9, 2024. It was FAMU's first time hosting an opening day game since 2015.

The SWAC East’s top teams are squaring off this weekend.

Rivals FAMU (12-14, 8-1 SWAC) and Bethune-Cookman (10-19, 8-1 SWAC) meet in Daytona this weekend, where the three-game series winning will ascend as the lone No. 1 team in the SWAC East divisional standings.

After a blowout 10-1 loss in their first game, the Rattlers fired back at Jackson State in last weekend’s three-game series to win it 2-1. B-CU swept Alabama A&M last weekend, concluding with a 17-1 win.

FAMU is the second-best hitting team in the SWAC, with a .286 batting average. Neriah Lee leads the Rattlers with a .407 batting average. Nyomi Jones, an Ole Miss transfer, is second in batting average with .387 and leads FAMU with 24 hits.

B-CU is fifth in the SWAC for hitting with a .262 batting average. The Wildcats have four players with over 20 hits, and freshman utility Jessica Alaan is leading with 27.

FAMU and B-CU meet for one game on Friday and a doubleheader on Saturday at Sunnyland Park in Daytona Beach.

FAMU's baseball and softball Easter Weekend schedules

Florida A&M head coach Camise Patterson looks on ahead of the Rattlers' softball game against the Indiana Hoosiers during the Troy Tournament on Friday, February 16, 2024.
Florida A&M head coach Camise Patterson looks on ahead of the Rattlers' softball game against the Indiana Hoosiers during the Troy Tournament on Friday, February 16, 2024.

FAMU Baseball

Thursday, March 28: vs. Jackson State, 5 p.m.

Friday, March 29: vs. Jackson State, 5 p.m.

Saturday, March 30: vs. Jackson State,1 p.m.

All games will be played at Moore-Kittles Field on FAMU's campus. The FAMU-JSU series will stream via Rattlers Plus.

FAMU Softball

Friday, March 29: at Bethune-Cookman, 6 p.m.

Saturday, March 30: at Bethune-Cookman, noon, 2 p.m. (Doubleheader)

All games will be played at Sunnyland Park in Daytona Beach, Florida.

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

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This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: FAMU baseball hosts JSU, softball at B-CU for Easter Weekend SWAC games