Bucs Bash #10 State College of Florida in Suncoast Opener
The Florida SouthWestern State Buccaneers used a pair of four run innings Monday night to defeat #10 State College of Florida-Manatee-Sarasota 9-1 in their 2019 Suncoast Conference opener.
BRADENTON, FLA.- The Florida SouthWestern State Buccaneers used a pair of four run innings Monday night to defeat #10 State College of Florida-Manatee-Sarasota 9-1 in their 2019 Suncoast Conference opener.
FSW scored first in the second inning after two quick outs to begin the inning, Shamir Morales drew a walk to start the rally, later coming around to score on a Manatee error to give the Bucs a 1-0 lead. Later in the inning Connor Bagnieski singled home two with a rip to right and Mikey Burke drove home another with a line drive the other way to open up a 4-0 advantage for the Bucs.
FSW starter Ryan Gusto kept SCF off the board until the fifth when they mounted a two out rally of their own, using a pair of singles and a walk to plate a run and cut the Bucs lead to 4-1.
The Bucs caught a break in the bottom of the sixth when SCF loaded the bases with two outs and hit a line drive right into the glove of FSW first baseman Tyler Solomon to end the inning, averting a potential game tying hit with three innings to go.
Right on script, Solomon led off to begin the Bucs seventh and he took advantage, crushing a 2-1 pitch deep and out to right to pad the FSW lead to 5-1.
The Bucs blew the game open in the eighth with some help from the Manatees. SCF walked a pair and hit another FSW batter to load the bases with no outs and a single from Josh McAllister drove home a run to make it 6-1. Later in the inning another free pass pushed the lead to 7-1 and the fourth walk of the inning forced the Bucs third run of the frame in to cushion the lead to 8-1. A wild pitch would all but put the nail in the Manatees coffin as FSW took a 9-1 lead with just an inning and half left to go.
In for his second inning of relief, FSW righthander Robert Weigielnik stuck out the side in the eighth and then worked a 1-2-3 ninth to seal a 9-1 win for the Bucs in their conference opener.
The Bucs were outhit by the Manatees 10-8, but took full advantage of 10 free passes and a hit batter to score their nine runs on the night. Bagnieski led FSW with three runs driven home while Burke finished with a pair of RBI's. McAllister was the lone Buc to record multiple hits, going 2 for 3 with a pair of runs scored. Gusto earned the win to improve to 3-0 on the year, going five strong innings, striking out five for FSW. Weigielnik notched his second save of the season, throwing three scoreless striking out a career high five.
The Bucs improve to 19-3 on the year and win their Suncoast Conference opener for the first time in program history. SCF drops to 15-8 and 0-1 in conference play.
The same two teams will lace them up on Wednesday at City of Palms Park in Fort Myers with first pitch set for 6 PM.