Rain in Forecast as Villanova Visits Florida A&M Friday

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (Interstat) — Two teams looking to build on midweek victories will meet under threatening skies Friday when the Villanova Wildcats face the Florida A&M Rattlers at Mike Martin Field at Dick Howser Stadium.

First pitch is scheduled for the afternoon, though the evening forecast calls for rain and a temperature near 79 degrees.

Both clubs enter at 3-6 overall. Villanova snapped a three-game skid with a 4-0 shutout at North Florida on Wednesday, powered by a combined two-hitter from its bullpen. Florida A&M fell 7-5 at Florida on the same day but showed resilience in a late rally.

A key matchup could feature two effective relievers. Villanova’s Jack Chavez has been sharp, tossing three hitless innings with three strikeouts in Wednesday’s win. Over his last two appearances, he has not allowed a hit in 3 2/3 innings.

For the Rattlers, Clark Lincoln has emerged as a reliable arm. In his last three outings, spanning seven innings, he has surrendered just one earned run on one hit while striking out seven. His season was marred by a tough outing on Feb. 20, but he has since rebounded strongly.

The Wildcats’ recent success has been anchored by pitching. In the win over North Florida, Jack Chavez, Matthew Kahn and JP Podgorski combined for eight shutout, hitless innings of relief.

Florida A&M’s offense will aim to break through after scoring five runs against a strong Florida pitching staff. The Rattlers’ bullpen, including Lincoln, Cody Williams and Karson Lindsey, held the Gators scoreless over the final 4 1/3 innings Wednesday.

According to Interstat, the Rattlers hold a slight edge. Their game simulator projects a 3-2 Florida A&M victory, and their ELO rating system gives the Rattlers a 52.4% probability to win.

This game is the first of a three-game weekend series. The teams will meet again Saturday and Sunday in Tallahassee.