TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (Feb. 2) – Confidence Is High, is a military phrase for readiness for success, and that watch word could easily be applied to the FAMU Baseball Program, which is heading into the 2015 campaign buoyed by the momentum from their renaissance/revival in 2014.
The defending MEAC Southern Division Co-Champions will open their 2015 season at home against the Thundering Herd of Marshall (W.Va.) University in a three-game weekend series, Friday through Sunday, February 13-15 at Moore-Kittles Field.
The Friday, February 13 series opener is slated for a 4:00 p.m. start, followed by Saturday's Valentine's Day game at 1:00 p.m., and Sunday's series finale at 11:00 a.m.
Second-year head coach Jamey Shouppe, the 2014 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Coach of the Year, returns a talented core of players from the Rattlers' 26-win squad – the most wins since 2009 (24), and their first .500 or better overall record since 2003 (31-21).
Headlining the cast of returning veterans will be a pair of 2015 Preseason All-MEAC selections, redshirt junior outfielder Marlon Gibbs (.335, 66 hits, 11 doubles, one triple, one home run, 21 RBIs, 27 runs scored, 13 stolen bases), from Orange Park, Fla., and senior infielder Ryan Kennedy (.303, 8 HRs, 40 RBIs, 60 hits, 28 runs scored, five doubles), from Merritt Island, Fla.
FAMU made great strides a year ago in the pitching realm, a Shouppe specialty, and most of the aces from the 2014 staff return head by sophomore Chase Jarrell (5-2, 3.42 ERA, 47 strikeouts in 79.0 innings, Winter Springs, Fla.); junior Kendal Weeks (3-1, 3.46 ERA, 17 strikeouts in 39.0 innings, Quincy, Fla.); junior Brandon Fleming (5-4, 4.36 ERA, 40 strikeouts in 53.2 innings, Atlantic Beach, Fla.) and junior William Carrasco (3-6, 4.57 ERA, 28 strikeouts in 61.0 innings, Ocala, Fla.).
Also returning to the FAMU fold from the 2014 club is senior outfielder Jared Walker (.321, 43 hits, six doubles, three triples, 25 runs scored and 13 RBIs, Tallahassee, Fla.); senior infielder Michael Birdsong (.279, 48 hits, eight doubles, one homer and 27 RBIs, Atlanta, Ga.); senior catcher Jeremy Barlow (.274, 3 HRs, 22 RBIs, 45 hits, six doubles, Pace, Fla.); junior infielder Kendal Weeks (.233, 27 hits, 15 RBIs, Quincy, Fla.),and senior infielder Ryan Hutson (.193, 12 doubles, 15 RBIs, 40 hits, 18 runs scored, Cape Coral, Fla.).
Rounding out the returning veterans are sophomore outfielder Logan Seymour (.277, 13 hits, one double, four RBI in 27 games, Havana, Fla.); junior outfielder Peter Jackson (.188, 13 hits, 13 runs scored, three triples, six RBIs, St. Louis, Mo.) and sophomore infielder Taylor Strauss (four hits, four RBI in 26 games, Marianna, Fla.).
The 2015 FAMU Recruiting Class is chock full of pitching and position players ready to bolster the Rattler roster for a 2015 MEAC title run, a class featuring a mix of junior college and freshmen prospects.
JUCO imports include infielder A.J. Elkins, catcher Robby Jolley and pitchers Ryan Kopenski, Ricky Page and Kenny McDonald from the College of Central Florida; pitchers Hunter Fillingim and Timothy Reker from Florida State College at Jacksonville; outfielder Shane Gordan and infielder Alec Wong from Polk State CC, and pitcher David Ogilvie (Alabama Southern).
The freshmen class includes pitcher Ryan Anderson (Brandon (Fla.) High); catcher Javon Byrd and outfielder Dexter Martin (Tallahassee, (Fla.) Rickards High); infielder Brian Davis (Pensacola (Fla.) Tate High); outfielder Cameron Johnson (Flowery Branch, Ga. / West Hall High); and pitcher Cleveland Westbrook (Ft. Lauderdale, Fla./Miami Norland High).
The 2015 Rattler Schedule will be daunting with Marshall, the University of Florida, Auburn University, Mercer (Ga.), Jacksonville (Fla.), Troy (Ala.), South Florida (USF), Georgia State, North Florida and Texas Southern providing stiff non-conference opposition, with MEAC Southern Division rivals Bethune-Cookman, North Carolina A&T, North Carolina Central, and Savannah State going home-and-home for the 24-game league slate.
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