March 12, 2022
Ellerts Dominates as Bucs Complete Sweep of Hillsborough
Florida SouthWestern ace Magnus Ellerts dominated for seven innings under the lights at City of Palms Park Saturday night, allowing just one hit while striking out 12 in a complete game shutout as the Buccaneers hammered the visiting Hillsborough Hawks 12-0 to complete their second consecutive Suncoast Conference series sweep.
FORT MYERS, Fla.- Florida SouthWestern ace Magnus Ellerts dominated for seven innings under the lights at City of Palms Park Saturday night, allowing just one hit while striking out 12 in a complete game shutout as the Buccaneers hammered the visiting Hillsborough Hawks 12-0 to complete their second consecutive Suncoast Conference series sweep.
For the first time in the series, the Bucs struck first Saturday as Jose Izarra hooked a two run home run inside the left field foul pole in the 1st to give FSW a quick 2-0 lead.
Bucs starter Magnus Ellerts was dialed in early, punching out a pair in a 1-2-3 top of the 2nd to keep it a 2-0 game and in the bottom of the frame FSW added to their advantage by scoring two runs on just one hit to double their lead to 4-0.
Ellerts blew away two more hitters in his second 1-2-3 frame in the 3rd and Yadiel Santana slapped a one out single up the middle to plate the Bucs fifth run of the game, pushing their lead to 5-0 after three.
It was another quick half inning for the Hawks in the 4th as they picked up their lone hit of the game to start the frame, but that runner was quickly erased on a cannon of a throw from Axel Melendez behind the plate and Ellerts did the rest with two more strikeouts to keep the Bucs in front 5-0.
After homering in the first to left, Izarra drove one deep to right in the 4th, drilling a triple off the wall to drive home two more and extend the Bucs lead to 7-0 after four.
Ellerts retired all six hitters he faced in the 5th and 6th frames, striking out four to give him 11 punchouts in the game and keep FSW on top 7-0.
The Bucs put the game away in the bottom of the 6th as Hunter Fitz-Gerald added to his team leading RBI total with a single to right and Braden Forchic singled home two more while FSW also took advantage of a pair of Hillsborough errors to score two other runs to blow the game open to 12-0 at the end of six.
Ellerts was back out with the ball in his hand to start the 7th and the big right hander made sure nobody else was stepping on his mound on this night as he ran through the top of the Hawks order like a buzz saw, finishing the night in style with his 12th strikeout of the game to seal up a 12-0 run rule win for FSW.
Ellerts' effort was one of the most dominant performances in program history as he yielded just one hit in the complete game shutout, but even more impressive, he did not allow a single hitter to reach second base in the win. Ellerts struck out 12 and didn't walk a batter, improving to 4-0 on the year.
A good showing from the Bucs offense was overshadowed by Ellerts' effort as FSW finished with 10 hits and scored in five of six offensive innings in the win. Izarra got the two toughest legs of the cycle done, finishing 2-3 with a triple and a home run, while driving in four. Satchell Norman collected three hits and scored three times as well in the win.
The red hot Bucs have won six straight, all in Suncoast Conference play, to improve to 18-11 overall and 7-2 in league play. Hillsborough has now dropped four straight, falling to 11-15 overall and 2-4 in conference action.
The Bucs continue a five game home stand on Monday when they return to City of Palms Park to take on former Suncoast Conference foe South Florida State in a 3 PM non-conference battle.