April 17, 2021
Bucs Complete Sweep of Panthers
Consistency is key in team sports and consistent is what the #15 Florida SouthWestern State Buccaneers were this week in their three game series against the South Florida State Panthers. FSW won the opener 5-2 on Wednesday before posting a 5-1 win Friday to clinch the series and did the same once again on Saturday at home at City of Palms Park, winning 5-1 behind a solid effort on the mound from Alex Ayala and Riley Skeen to sweep the series and remain in control of their own destiny atop the Suncoast Conference standings.
FORT MYERS, Fla.- Consistency is key in team sports and consistent is what the #15 Florida SouthWestern State Buccaneers were this week in their three game series against the South Florida State Panthers. FSW won the opener 5-2 on Wednesday before posting a 5-1 win Friday to clinch the series and did the same once again on Saturday at home at City of Palms Park, winning 5-1 behind a solid effort on the mound from Alex Ayala and Riley Skeen to sweep the series and remain in control of their own destiny atop the Suncoast Conference standings.
The Bucs got the scoring going in the 3rd when Axel Melendez found a hole on the right side of the Panther infield for an RBI single to give FSW a 1-0 lead. They added to their advantage later in the inning on a fielder's choice ground out and stretched their lead to 3-0 on an RBI double down the left field line from Abimelec Ortiz.
FSW starter Alex Ayala kept the Panthers off the board in the 4th and 5th frames and allowed the Bucs to add to their lead in the bottom of the 5th when a South Florida error helped FSW to two more runs to make it a 5-0 ballgame.
South Florida State finally got to Ayala in the 7th with a leadoff walk and a double to make it 5-1, but Riley Skeen came out of the FSW bullpen to shut it down from there, punching out both hitters he faced ahead of stretch time to keep the Bucs in front 5-1.
The Bucs didn't score again, but they didn't need to as Skeen got a double play ball to shorten the 8th and then struck out the side in the 9th to put an exclamation point on a 5-1 win for FSW to finish off the sweep.
Ayala and Skeen combined to allow just three hits in the game while the Bucs finished with eight. Ayala earned the win to improve to 7-2 on the year, going 6 1/3 innings, allowing just two hits and one run while striking out four. Skeen came up one out short of a save, going 2 2/3 scoreless while punching out five. Christian Lucio led the Bucs offense with a 3-4 contest, missing the cycle by just a home run.
The Bucs improve to 37-13 overall and 18-6 in Suncoast Conference play with the victory and hold a two game lead with two series left to go in league action. South Florida State falls to 19-30 overall and 6-18 in Suncoast play.
FSW will be back in action on Monday on the road in Clearwater when they start a three game set with St. Petersburg in a 5 PM first pitch.