February 24, 2023
Bucs Bounce Back with Blowout Win Over Polk
The Florida SouthWestern State Buccaneers were disappointed, maybe even embarrassed Wednesday as their six game win streak was ended by A3 Academy on their home field at Buccaneers Park. Unfortunately for the Polk State Eagles, they were up next on the Bucs schedule and FSW took their frustrations out on their old Suncoast Conference rivals, scoring 10 runs in the first three innings in route to a 12-1 blowout win to improve to 11-7 on the year.
WINTER HAVEN, Fla.- The Florida SouthWestern State Buccaneers were disappointed, maybe even embarrassed Wednesday as their six game win streak was ended by A3 Academy on their home field at Buccaneers Park. Unfortunately for the Polk State Eagles, they were up next on the Bucs schedule and FSW took their frustrations out on their old Suncoast Conference rivals, scoring 10 runs in the first three innings in route to a 12-1 blowout win to improve to 11-7 on the year.
The Bucs came out swinging right off the bat as Joel Gardner and Derek Williams ripped back to back RBI doubles in the top of the 1st to give FSW a 2-0 lead just four batters into the game. Later in the frame another RBI two bagger from Nate Earley made it 3-0 and he scored as Eddie-Boe Rodriguez lined one to center to make it 4-0 Bucs.
Polk got a run back in the bottom of the 1st, but the Bucs answered right away in the 2nd as Gardner drove home his second run of the game with an RBI single up the middle and two batters later Albert Serrano crushed a three run home run to stretch the Bucs lead to 8-1 after an inning and a half.
The Bucs continued to pour it on in the 3rd as AJ Shaver ripped a double to left to plate two more and make it a 10-1 game in favor of FSW.
Kelan Hoover took over from there on the mound for the Bucs, blanking the Eagles through the middle innings while Williams added his second RBI double of the day in the 5th to make it an 11-1 game at the end of five.
The Bucs made it 12-1 in the 6th as Yariel Diaz singled home a run and Hoover worked a quick bottom half to keep it a 12-1 game in favor of FSW at the end of six complete.
The Bucs didn't score again, but they didn't need to as Isaac Upole, Colin Brodeur, and Reyn Watson came in out of the bullpen and tossed scoreless frames to close thing out and give the Bucs a 12-1 win.
FSW outhit Polk 16-5 in the win, getting three hits a piece from Gardner, Williams, and Rodriguez, and multi-RBI games from Shaver, Gardner, Williams, and Serrano. Hoover threw his best game as a Buc, going six strong innings, allowing just three hits and one run while striking out five to earn his first win of the season.
The Bucs improve to 11-7 on the year with the win while Polk falls to 10-9.
FSW will continue a quick road trip North on Saturday as they go to Sanford to take on Seminole State in a 1 PM first pitch against the Raiders.