FAMU (20-23, 15-9 MEAC) finished the regular season winning
six of their last seven games including 11-4 down the stretch in conference
play to earn the No. 1 seed in the MEAC Southern Division.
The Rattlers went 2-2 in last year’s MEAC Tournament. FAMU defeated Coppin State 10-0 in their opening game, but fell to Savannah State 14-6 in a winner’s bracket game. FAMU led the Tigers 5-2 heading into the sixth inning, but six errors contributed to the loss. Florida A&M would bounce back with another win over Coppin State (11-6), but eventually fell to Norfolk State 6-3 in an elimination game.
Marlon Gibbs and Kenny McDonald were voted to the 2nd Team
All-MEAC as announced by the conference. Gibbs had another strong season
after finishing the regular season with a .290 average and a team-leading 45
hits and 28 runs scored. McDonald, in his first year with the Rattlers, has a
3.91 ERA and finished second in the MEAC with six saves. He also recorded 22
strikeouts in 24 relief appearances with just 10 walks and held opponents to a
.235 batting average.
The Rattlers led the MEAC with a .964 fielding percentage
and in walks as they drew 190 this season. FAMU was third in home runs (19) as
well as third in the conference with a 4.58 team ERA. The Rattler pitching
staff finished second in the MEAC with nine saves and second fewest with 186
earned runs allowed this season.
Relievers Ricky Page (1.67) and Cleveland Westbrook (2.05)
finished the regular season with the two lowest ERA in the MEAC with a minimum
of 25 innings pitched. Page and Westbrook were both in their first year with
the Rattler baseball program.