If Friday was any indication, the FAMU softball team didn’t come to the HBCU Invitational to play games. They came to end them.
In a breathtaking display of power, speed, and pitching dominance, the Rattlers steamrolled their way through the first day of competition, outscoring opponents Bowie State and Coppin State by a combined 22–1 in a pair of mercy-rule shortened victories that announced their presence not with a whisper, but with a roar.
The day began with a 14–1 demolition of Bowie State that was as surgical as it was explosive. After methodically building a 6–0 lead, the Rattlers’ offense shifted into a gear few teams possess, erupting for eight runs in the fifth inning to bring the game to an early conclusion.
The inning was a highlight reel. Samantha Smith provided the exclamation point, launching a three-run home run that seemed to still be climbing as it cleared the fence. Not to be outdone, Monroe Oglesby followed up by clearing the bases with a three-run single, capping a relentless offensive barrage that left little doubt about the Rattlers’ firepower.
“We talk a lot about competitive at-bats, about passing the baton,” said second year Head Coach Brittany Beall after the game. “Today, it wasn’t passing. It was firing.”
Leadoff hitter Ciera Maple set the table all afternoon, finishing a perfect 3-for-3 with a double, a triple, two RBIs, and three runs scored—a masterclass in setting the tempo. Smith, who also earned the win in the circle, embodied the team’s two-way dominance.
But FAMU wasn’t done. In the nightcap against Coppin State, the Rattlers traded raw power for cold, efficient execution in an 8–0 shutout. Amari Brown was flawless, going 3-for-3 and driving in three runs, while Jamison Townsend added two RBIs to keep the scoreboard ticking.
While the bats remained hot, pitcher Zoryana Hughes delivered a virtuoso performance, silencing Coppin State’s lineup with seven strikeouts over five innings of two-hit ball, her command as sharp as her team’s swings.
The common thread in both victories was a suffocating, multi-faceted attack. The Rattlers didn’t just hit; they ran, they fielded, and they pitched with a collective purpose that overwhelmed their opponents. They swiped eight bases over the two games, turning singles into doubles and putting constant, rattling pressure on every defensive play.
As the Georgia sun set on a nearly perfect day, the message from the Rattlers’ dugout was clear: this is more than a winning streak. It’s an identity.
FAMU continues tournament play Saturday with matchups against Hampton and North Carolina Central. If Friday was any indication, they aren’t just contenders at this tournament. They’re the team to beat.