Florida A&M

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Baseball
2
Texas Southern TEXAS SO 20-20
4
Winner Florida A&M FLORIDA 25-22
Texas Southern TEXAS SO
20-20
2
Final
4
Florida A&M FLORIDA
25-22
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Texas Southern TEXAS SO 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 2 9 2
Florida A&M FLORIDA 2 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 X 4 7 0

W: Granger, Caleb (7-3) L: Justin Mays (5-3) S: Walker, Tanner (3)

Game Recap: Baseball |

Florida A&M Fights Past Texas Southern Series Opener

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Right-hander Caleb Granger delivered seven strong innings and shortstop Matthew Perez collected three hits as Florida A&M defeated Texas Southern 4-2 onThursday afternoon in Southwestern Athletic Conference play.

The Rattlers (25-22, 20-8 SWAC) wasted no time setting the tone, pushing across two runs in the bottom of the first inning to seize an early advantage. Leadoff man William Brown drew a 10-pitch walk to open the frame, and Caden Kresak followed with a single to left center. Jay Campbell kept the rally alive with a single to left, loading the bases and chasing Texas Southern starter Justin Mays into an early hole.
Jackson McKenzie, FAMU's potent designated hitter, worked a four-pitch, bases-loaded walk to plate the game's first run. Catcher Ethan Miller then drove in Kresak with a sacrifice fly to right field, staking the Rattlers to a 2-0 lead before recording an out in the batter's box.

Granger (7-3) took it from there. The right-hander scattered nine hits across his seven innings of work, walking just one batter while striking out five. He was particularly effective with runners on base, stranding multiple Texas Southern threats by keeping the ball on the ground and inducing key outs when it mattered most.

Texas Southern (20-20, 15-10 SWAC) scratched a run across in the second inning on an RBI single by Nate Lopez, but Granger settled in and retired the Tigers in order in the fourth inning while working out of trouble in the third, fifth and sixth.

The Rattlers' offense responded with a pivotal two-run sixth inning to extend the lead to 4-1. Miller reached on a wild pitch after a strikeout, and Perez — who was locked in all afternoon — roped an RBI single to center field to score Miller. After Josue Figueroa reached on a Texas Southern error and a wild pitch advanced both runners, Jordan Brown delivered a clutch RBI groundout to plate Perez and push the cushion to three.

Christopher Chavez drove in a run with a two-out single in the seventh to pull the Tigers within 4-2, but that was as close as they would get. Closer Tanner Walker entered in the eighth and slammed the door with two hitless innings, striking out two to earn his third save of the season.

Perez paced the FAMU offense, going 3-for-4 with an RBI in what was the shortstop's best performance of the week. Brown added two hits and a walk from the leadoff spot, reaching base three times.

FAMU played flawless defense, committing no errors behind its pitching staff in the victory. The Rattlers turned multiple fielder's choices and induced two double plays to keep the Tigers off the scoreboard in critical situations.

FAMU KEY STATS

BATTING

Matthew Perez (SS): 3-for-4, 1 RBI, 1 R
William Brown (2B): 2-for-3, 1 BB, 1 R
Caden Kresak (RF): 1-for-2, 2 BB, 1 R
Jackson McKenzie (DH): 0-for-3, 1 BB, 1 RBI (bases-loaded walk)
Ethan Miller (C): 0-for-3, 1 RBI, 1 R (sacrifice fly)
Jordan Brown (CF): 0-for-4, 1 RBI (RBI groundout)
Jay Campbell (3B): 1-for-3, 1 BB

PITCHING

W — Caleb Granger (7-3): 7.0 IP, 9 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 5 K (101 pitches, 63 strikes)
SV — Tanner Walker (3): 2.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 K (26 pitches, 16 strikes)
 
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