In a back-and-forth battle that tested their resilience from the first pitch, the FAMU softball team opened its 2026 campaign in dramatic fashion, edging out Howard University 6-5 on Saturday at the Campbell University Tournament.
Behind clutch hitting, timely defense, and a refusal to fold under pressure, the Rattlers clawed their way to victory, setting a tone of toughness for the season ahead.
The game swung like a pendulum. After falling behind early 2-0, FAMU answered in the third when junior Jordan Douglas laced a two-run triple into the gap, tying the game and igniting the Rattler dugout. An inning later, junior Makayla Register launched a solo home run to give FAMU its first lead of the day—a no-doubt shot that seemed to shift all the momentum toward the orange and green.
But Howard refused to go quietly, rallying to tie the game at four apiece and setting the stage for a seventh-inning thriller.
With the game on the line, the Rattlers delivered. Samantha Smith and Jordan Douglas both crossed the plate in the top of the final frame, with key at-bats from Keeleigh Spooner and others applying pressure until the Bison defense cracked.
“That’s the kind of fight we’re made of,” said Head Coach Brittany Beall after the game. “We stayed composed, we trusted our preparation, and when it mattered most, our veterans stepped up. Jordan, Makayla, Keeleigh—they set the tone. This is exactly how you want to start a season.”
Douglas finished 2-for-3 with a triple and two RBIs, while Register added a 2-for-4 day with her solo blast. Spooner contributed a double and two RBIs of her own as part of an 11-hit outburst by the Rattler offense.
Defensively, FAMU’s pitchers consistently worked out of trouble, holding Howard to just 1-for-10 with runners in scoring position and inducing 13 ground ball outs to stifle multiple scoring threats.
The Rattlers return to action tomorrow looking to build on an opening win that already feels like more than just one in the column—it feels like an identity.