FAMU Hosts Braves for Four-Game Series
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FAMU Hosts Braves for Four-Game Series

Game Notes

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – The Alcorn State University baseball program continues its road swing with a trip to Florida A&M for a four-game series against the Rattlers (2-3) this Friday through Sunday at Moore-Kittles Field.
 
Alcorn and FAMU meet for the first time since the 1997 season, when the Rattlers won a 12-3 contest. The teams open with a 3 p.m. game Friday, will play a noon doubleheader on Saturday, and wrap up with a noon contest on Sunday.
 
The series marks head coach Bretton Richardson's first against his alma mater since taking over the Braves program. A 1997 graduate of FAMU, Richardson was a catcher on the Rattler's Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference title teams in 1990, 1991, and 1992. He spent the better part of 18 years as a graduate assistant, assistant coach, and then interim head coach prior to his arrival at Alcorn.
 
"It's a little emotional, but it's also fun," said Richardson. "Being at FAMU for 18 years helped prepare me for this opportunity. I'm so grateful for the coaches that I had the opportunity to work under, from Joe Durant, the late Robert Lucas and the current FAMU coach, Jamey Shouppe. I'm sure there will be a ton of emotions before the game, but once the umpire says play ball, it's back to business as usual."
 
Alcorn starts 2-2 for the second season in a row and is coming off a 7-1 loss at Southeastern Louisiana on Tuesday. Edward Jackson brought in the team's lone run versus the Lions in the top of the eighth, doubling down the left-field line to score Devin Walden from third. Justin Barna finished 1-for-2, while Kyle Jenkins and Der'Vincent Hamilton both hit 1-for-3. Jahborus Smith took the loss as he was tagged for five earned runs on six hits and a walk. He pitched 4.0 innings and fanned five SELU batters for a 7.50 ERA.
 
Kirt Cormier was named the SWAC Hitter of the Week Monday after leading the Braves at the Andre Dawson with a .545 batting average, 1.182 slugging percentage, and a .583 on-base percentage. The senior catcher is doubtful for the series, however, after fouling a ball off his foot against GSU Sunday.
 
Following Cormier offensively are Hamilton and Barna, both at .333. Jenkins is hitting .286 and A.J. Makarewicz .231. Hunter Wilson leads the Braves with five RBIs. In the field, Jenkins has 12 putouts with an assist, Wallace Rios Jimenez has 10 POs and seven assists, and Nicholas Hayes-Saltare is at six POs and 14 assists.
 
For Alcorn's bullpen, Joe Smith is 1-0 with a 0.00 ERA after allowing a hit and walking a pair with a punch out in 4.0 innings of work. Zachary Perez earned the other win and owns a 1.50 ERA. The senior out of Houston, Texas has thrown 6.0 innings of relief in two appearances, giving up one earned run on a hit and a walk with three strikeouts.
 
FAMU took 1-of-3 against Marshall to start its season and split two games at Mercer earlier this week. The team is coming off a 15-7 victory over the Bears on Wednesday. The Rattlers took an early 3-0 lead in the top of the first and added a run in the second, third, and fourth innings to go up 6-2. Mercer stormed back with a five-run bottom of the fourth, but FAMU plated another three in the seventh and six in the eighth for the final tally.
 
Jordan Curtis is hitting .389 through 18 at bats, Brian Curtis is at .368 through 19, and Dallas Oliver a .353 through 17 to lead the Rattlers' offense. Curtis leads the team with seven RBIs, three extra-base hits, to include a home run, and two stolen bases. Davis has a team-high 25 putouts, John Capra owns 17 putouts with 12 assists, and Brett Maxwell has 11 putouts and 11 assists.
 
On the mound, Thomas Nicoll is 0-1 in two appearances. He has a 4.15 ERA and leads the Rattlers with six strikeouts through 4.1 innings. Chandellor Benton is right behind him with five strikeouts and owns a 3.18 ERA in three appearances and 5.2 innings pitched. Jamie Grant and Josh Barr earned both of the team's wins in relief.
 
"I feel like early on in the season, we just need to play," added Richardson. "Play as much baseball as we can to help prepare us for the season."
 
The series is the only four-gamer and features the only double-header on the Braves' schedule this season.
 
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