February 7, 2021
Super Sunday Not Such For FSW Bucs
The Florida SouthWestern State Buccaneers didn't have quite the same luck the Tampa Bay Buccaneers had on Super Bowl Sunday. Continuing game three of their four game series with the #3 Chipola Indians, the Bucs came back with three runs in the 9th to send the game to extra innings and plated two in the top of the 12th to come within inches of victory, but the Indians hit a walk off, three run home run in the bottom of the inning to take game three 12-11. In the series finale, the Bucs battled, but couldn't overcome a powerful Chipola lineup which put up crooked numbers in four of six offensive frames to win game four 14-8 and sweep the four game set 4-0.
MARIANNA, Fla.- The Florida SouthWestern State Buccaneers didn't have quite the same luck the Tampa Bay Buccaneers had on Super Bowl Sunday. Continuing game three of their four game series with the #3 Chipola Indians, the Bucs came back with three runs in the 9th to send the game to extra innings and plated two in the top of the 12th to come within inches of victory, but the Indians hit a walk off, three run home run in the bottom of the inning to take game three 12-11. In the series finale, the Bucs battled, but couldn't overcome a powerful Chipola lineup which put up crooked numbers in four of six offensive frames to win game four 14-8 and sweep the four game set 4-0.
The Bucs and Indians began the day by continuing a suspended game from Saturday with Chipola leading 9-6. To read about the first 6 1/2 innings of the game CLICK HERE.
The Bucs quickly finished the 7th, but weren't able to get anything in the 8th as the game went to the 9th with the score still 9-6 in favor of Chipola.
Down to their final out of the game and down three, the Bucs flipped a switch. Carter Cunningham started the rally with a walk before Warnner Rincones sent a 3-2 pitch flying over the wall in left for a two run home run to cut the Indian lead to 9-8. On the next pitch, Abimelec Ortiz launched a shot deep to right which sailed out of the park for a solo home run to tie the game at 9.
Antonio Knowles came out of the FSW bullpen and locked the Indians down in the 9th to send the game to extras.
The Bucs put two in scoring position in the top of the 10th, but couldn't come up with the big hit, leaving both runners on to end the frame.
Knowles struck out two more in the 10th to send the game to the 11th where the Bucs again put a runner at third base and were unable to score.
With two on and two out in the Chipola 11th, Knowles dialed up his fifth strikeout of the game to end the threat and send things to the 12th.
The Bucs finally broke through in the 12th as Cunningham smoked a two out single back up the box to drive home two, giving the Bucs their first lead of the game at 11-9.
FSW had victory in the tips of their fingers with two outs and just one on in the bottom of the 12th but a single put the tying run on base and five pitches later a three run home run walked off a stunned Bucs squad 12-11.
The Bucs had 10 hits from eight different players in the loss. Rincones finished 1-3 with two runs scored and two RBIs while also walking four times in the contest. Cunningham came off the bench to reach base in all three of his plate appearances, going 1-1 with two RBIs and a pair of walks. The Bucs stole 12 bases in the loss, just one short of tying a school record. Knowles went three innings on the mound for the Bucs, allowing just one hit while striking out five. Riley Skeen takes the loss, allowing the three run home run in the 12th to fall to 3-1 on the year.
In the series finale the Bucs jumped on the board first, getting a two run double from Matthew Corpas in the top of the 1st to take a quick 2-0 lead.
The lead didn't last long for the Bucs though as four walks, an error, and just two hits led to five Chipola runs, giving the Indians a 5-2 lead after one inning of play.
A two run home run for the Indians in the 3rd stretched their lead to 7-2.
The Bucs kept scrapping, loading the bases with two outs in the 4th before Ronny Medina launched a 1-0 pitch out to center for a grand slam, getting FSW back to within one at 7-6 in one swing of the bat.
The Bucs couldn't come up with a shutdown inning though as Chipola answered right back with a two run shot of their own to push their lead back to 9-6 after four complete.
Kendry Noriega doubled with two outs in the 5th to score Luis Tuero to trim the Chipola lead to 9-7, but the Indians kept the pressure on the FSW pitching staff, belting another three run home run in the bottom of the frame and pushing another across on a wild pitch to put the game out of reach at 13-7.
The teams traded runs in the 6th and the Bucs went down in order on three strikeouts in the 7th as Chipola finished off the sweep with a 14-8 game four win.
The Bucs were outhit 10-7 in the contest with Medina the only FSW hitter to finish with more than one hit, going 2-3 with the 4th inning grand slam accounting for all four of his RBIs in the game. Alex Ayala was saddled with the loss on the mound for the Bucs to fall to 0-2 on the year, allowing seven runs, four earned on three hits and six walks in three innings of work.
The weekend leaves the Bucs at 8-5 overall while Chipola runs their early season record to 10-1.
The Bucs slate doesn't get any easier next time out as they are back at it Wednesday at home against #15 Miami Dade in a game slated for a 2:00 PM first pitch.