MONTGOMERY, Ala. (April 24) – The FAMU Baseball team took an early lead before falling to host Alabama State, 9-4, in a non-conference midweek game at Wheeler-Watkins Stadium Wednesday evening.

FAMU (18-25) dropped their second straight non-conference bout in as many days, as they managed just three hits in the game against the Hornets (23-19), which finished the contest with 11.

The Rattlers took a 2-0 first inning lead when Kaycee Reese was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded, scoring Robert Robinson, and Seyjuan Lawrence later lofted a sacrifice to left, scoring Tucker Rayburn.

Alabama State scored single runs in the bottom of the second and third innings to tie the score 2-2, before the Rattlers regained the lead with a two-run top of the fifth inning, thanks to RBI sacrifice flies by Jared Weber and Reese, for a 4-2 count.

The Hornets responded in the bottom of the fifth with a four-run, six-hit half inning to take the lead for good at 6-4. They added two runs in the bottom of the sixth, and one more in the bottom of the seventh to complete the scoring.

Pedro de los Rios (0-2) got the loss in relief of starter Josh Barr, working three innings, giving up six runs on eight hits with one strikeout.

Offensively, the Rattlers got singles from Octavien Moyer, Tucker Rayburn and Eric Blanc, Jr.

WHO'S ON DECK: FAMU heads to Jacksonville for a three-game weekend set against the University of North Florida on Saturday (4:00 p.m.) and Sunday (1:00 – doubleheader). Sunday's twinbill will feature two (2) seven-inning games.