Original Publish Date: March 23, 2024

The Rattlers’ softball team has won each of their first six games in the Southwestern Athletic Conference, before falling 10-1 on the road Friday to Jackson State.

FAMU is currently first in the Eastern Division, sitting just ahead of in-state rival Bethune-Cookman. 

Both series sweeps for the Rattlers against Alabama A&M and Mississippi Valley State University came in dominating fashion. In the SWAC opener, FAMU scored 25 runs on the week and completed the sweep with a 7-0 shutout. 

The next weekend FAMU returned home to face the Delta Devils and once again overpowered their opponents, allowing only two runs on the weekend while scoring 26 of their own.

The performance last weekend earned infielder Nyah Morgan and pitcher Zoryana Hughes hitter and co-pitcher of the week in the SWAC.

A myriad of Rattlers have demonstrated their offensive prowess in conference play. Leading the way are three familiar names predicted to have a  massive effect on the Rattlers’ production at the plate this season. 

Morgan is one. She is currently hitting .317 with three doubles and a home run. Morgan leads the team in runs driven in with nine.

Transfer Nyomi Jones is also swinging a hot bat. Jones leads the Rattlers in batting average, hitting a startling .370 in 23 games while also hitting four doubles and a home run. Jones comes in a close second with Morgan in RBIs with eight.

Grad student Tatianna Davis is also batting over .300, tying her teammate Morgan with 13 hits, including a double and a triple while driving in four runs.

Transfers Kayla Alexandre, Brianna Duggins, who head coach Camise Patterson mentioned prior to the start of the season would have an immediate impact on the offense this season, has also lived up to those expectations. 

Duggins is a mainstay in the lineup, hitting .245 with 13 hits, four of them being extra-base hits, while tying Jones with eight runs driven in on the year.

Freshmen  have also been huge contributors to the Rattlers’ recent success. 

Hughes is one of the best freshmen pitchers in the SWAC. Hughes’ 2.89 earned run average is the eighth-best in the conference, and her 55 strikeouts on the year places her in the top four of the conference.

Over her last three starts, Hughes’ has thrown 25.2 innings, allowing only four earned runs while striking out 28. 

Another freshman who has recently broken out for the Rattlers is Delacia Delesin, who in 13 games is hitting .429 with an OPS over 1.000, six hits and a double. 

FAMU looks to continue rolling through the SWAC with a double-header today at Jackson State.