NORFOLK, Va. | The 2021 Florida A&M baseball season, came to an end on Friday afternoon, as the Rattlers beat Delaware State 14-13, but lost Friday night's elimination game against North Carolina Central 5-3 at Marty L. Miller Field. 
 
Game 1
 
Florida A&M held on in a marathon, high-scoring affair, eliminating Delaware State from the 2021 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Baseball Championship 14-13 Friday afternoon at Marty L. Miller Field on Norfolk State's campus. 
   
The Rattlers had a 14-11 lead heading into the ninth inning, but a pair of walks and a hit batter loaded the bases for the Hornets with two outs. John Weglarz responded with a two-run single to left center, bringing in Tripp Kimmell and Jared Gillis to cut the lead to 14-13. 
 
But Ben Krizen struck out Trey Paige to end the game and pick up the save. 
 
The Hornets jumped on the board immediately, pushing across two runs in the top of the first. Miguel Rivera led off the inning with a walk and advanced to third on a ground-rule double from Paige. Rivera then scored on a Krew Bouldin sac fly before Cole Garey singled home Paige to make it 2-0. 
 
FAMU pushed across three runs in the bottom of the second. They first tied things up with RBI singles from Joseph Pierini and Adam Haidermota, before Robert Robinson singled home Pierini to give the Rattlers the lead. 
 
Paige scored in the third to tie the game at 3-3 after a Bouldin single and two FAMU errors. 
 
FAMU loaded the bases in the bottom of the frame, then plated a pair when Haidermota reached on a throwing error. The ball wound up down the right field line and LJ Bryant and Jared Weber – who both singled earlier in the inning – to go up 5-3. 
 
Then, with the bases still loaded, Seyjuan Lawrence notched a two-run single and Octavien Moyer doubled to left to bring in another run and make it 8-3. 
 
Moyer added an RBI single in the bottom of the fifth, bringing home Robinson, before Jared Weber scored Pierini on a sac fly to give FAMU a 10-3 lead. 
 
But the Hornets had an answer in the top of the sixth. Bouldin led off with a single before Garey and Gillis both reached via walk to load the bases – before Kimmell hit a grand slam down the right field line to cut the lead to 10-7. 
 
It was Kimmell's second home run of the season. 
 
Bryant singled home a run in the bottom of the seventh to give the Rattlers an 11-7 lead. 
 
But the Hornets weren't done yet, taking advantage of a throwing error and two wild pitches to score four runs and tie the game at 11-11. Herron got the scoring started with a double, which brought Kimmell home after a throwing error. 
 
A bases-loaded walk brought in another run, then Rivera and Weglarz both scored on wild pitches to tie the game. 
 
Rayburn scored on a fielder's choice in the bottom of the eighth to give FAMU a 12-11 lead. Robinson followed with an RBI triple before scoring himself on an error to give FAMU a 14-11 lead. 
 
Robinson led the Rattlers at the plate, going 3-for-3 with two RBIs and four runs scores. He also walked twice. Four other Rattlers notched two hits each. Lawrence, Moyer and Haidermota each had two RBIs for FAMU. 
 
Kimmell was 2-for-4 for the Hornets with three runs scored and four RBIs. 
 
Game 2
 
FAMU's win in game one, set up an All-MEAC Southern Division elimination game against North Carolina Central, the top seed in the MEAC South. 
 
Hits came at a premium, as FAMU was held to three hits while NCCU scattered six hits.
 
Trailing 4-0 in the top of the fourth, the Rattlers got on the board when Pierini singled through the right side of the infield, driving Weber around to score. 
 
The drama began in the top of the ninth with the Rattlers down 5-1. FAMU drew back-to-back walks to begin the inning. Haidermota loaded the bases with a hard-hit single between first and second base. 
 
Robin then drew another walk, plating the FAMU's second run of the game. After Lawrence struck out, Moyer was hit by a pitch, driving another run in to score, and trimming NCCU's lead to 5-3 with one out.
 
The Rattler rally came up short, however, as the next two batters struck out.
 
Josh Hancock (4-8) tossed 6.2 innings, allowing five runs on five hits. He also struck out three batters and walked three. 
 
Jeremiah McCollom was solid in relief, pitching 1.1 innings, allowing no hits and fanning three batters. 
 
FAMU finishes the season 22-34 overall, 15-13 MEAC.