'It's a grind': FAMU baseball faces a busy week and demanding schedule in Georgia
The Andre Dawson Baseball Classic was a success for Florida A&M.
The Rattlers (4-3) traveled to Vero Beach for the HBCU Baseball Tournament and left with two wins and one loss.
FAMU secured a 7-6 walk-off victory over Grambling State last Friday in its Dawson Classic opener. Last Sunday, FAMU dominated Southern 16-1 to conclude the weekend.
The Rattlers’ two wins sandwiched last Saturday’s 5-4 loss to Prairie View A&M.
“We could’ve won all three games. But it’s baseball, and it’s early in the season,” FAMU head coach Jamey Shouppe recapped the Dawson Classic.
“To win two out of three is not a bad weekend. I was pleased to see us come out [Sunday] and score 16 runs against a conference opponent. It’s always good to win the last one of a series, so you’re not sitting on a loss until you get to play again.”
Though FAMU had a fair showing in Vero Beach, there’s no time for the Rattlers to bask in its successes.
Two days removed from the Dawson Classic, the Rattlers are headed to the Peach State to play four non-conference games in five days. FAMU returned to Tallahassee early Monday morning and is busing Tuesday to begin its busy week at Mercer in Macon and Atlanta to play Grambling State.
“It’s the sport we chose to play and coach. And it’s a grind,” Shouppe looked ahead to FAMU’s upcoming week in Georgia.
“No one will feel sorry for you when you’re tired or on the road. How mentally tough can we be?”
![FAMU's outfielder Janmikell Bastardo (23) with a home run in the bottom of the fourth inning in Round 2 of NCAA Regionals against U Conn, Saturday, June 3, 2023, at Condron Family Ballpark in Gainesville, Florida. The Rattlers lost to the Huskies 9-6. [Cyndi Chambers/ For The Gainesville Sun] 2023](https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/wyrdxDbGq_gLn5GZpwgEkA--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTk2MDtoPTgyMg--/https://media.zenfs.com/en/tallahassee-democrat/099e35589462745296e11ce4b247fdd3)
FAMU will play at Mercer (6-1) of the Southern Conference on Tuesday at 6 p.m. at OrthoGeorgia Park. The Rattlers and the Bears meet once again on Wednesday at 6 p.m.
“Mercer is a good baseball team,” Shouppe spoke about FAMU’s next opponent. “They’re one of those mid-majors that can surprise many people.”
FAMU will participate in the Ralph Garr-Bill Lucas HBCU Baseball Classic for the fourth straight season as it faces Grambling State (1-6) in a two-game weekend series. The Garr-Lucas Classic honors Atlanta Braves Hall of Famers, Bill Lucas, a FAMU alum, and Ralph Garr, a Grambling alum.
Lucas is the first Black general manager in Major League Baseball for the Atlanta Braves from 1976-1979. He passed away in 1979.
“I didn’t know Bill, but I’ve met his wife, and I’m sure she’ll be there this weekend,” Shouppe said.
“What Bill stood for and the example that [former Braves owner Ted Turner] made in giving an African-American man a position of authority in Major League Baseball was a major stepping stone.”
Garr played 13 seasons in the MLB, most notably for the Braves from 1968-1975. Nicknamed "Road Runner" for his speed, Garr earned an All-Star appearance and National League Batting Championship in 1974.
Shouppe described Garr as his “idol.” He said he and his dad often traveled to Atlanta to see the Braves play summertime games.
“He was my idol coming up. I modeled my game after Ralph Garr,” said Shouppe, a former college baseball player for Florida State (1981-1982) and the Houston Astros organization (1982-1985).
“Ralph Garr is an icon for me because of how he played the speed game. He’s a good guy, too.”
FAMU and Grambling will meet on Friday at 5 p.m. on Coolray Field, the home of the Braves’ Triple-A affiliate Gwinnett Stripers. The Rattlers and Tigers play their second and final game against each other on Saturday at noon.
Though FAMU and Grambling are Southwestern Athletic Conference programs, the Ralph Garr-Bill Lucas games are non-conference contests.
“It’s a fun event,” Shouppe said of the Garr-Lucas Classic. “The Braves treat our players like big leaguers. It’s well-ran and makes our players feel special.”
This Week's Florida A&M Rattlers Baseball Schedule
Tuesday, Feb. 27: at Mercer, 6 p.m.
Wednesday, Feb. 28: at Mercer 6 p.m.
Friday, March 1: vs. Grambling State, 5 p.m. at Coolray Field in Atlanta's Ralph Garr-Bill Lucas HBCU Baseball Classic
Saturday, March 2: vs. Grambling State, Noon at Coolray Field in Atlanta's Ralph Garr-Bill Lucas HBCU Baseball Classic
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: Rattlers in Macon, Atlanta for four games in five days
