May 6, 2023
Bucs End Season With State Tournament Loss
In game one of the Florida SouthWestern State Buccaneers' three game FCSAA State Tournament series with #3 Central Florida, it was the big innings from the Patriots that did the Purple and Aqua in. Saturday it was the opposite as the Patriots scored in eight of nine innings, answering every FSW push with their own as the Bucs season came to a close with a 12-6 win by Central Florida to sweep the series 2-0.
OCALA, Fla.- In game one of the Florida SouthWestern State Buccaneers' three game FCSAA State Tournament series with #3 Central Florida, it was the big innings from the Patriots that did the Purple and Aqua in. Saturday it was the opposite as the Patriots scored in eight of nine innings, answering every FSW push with their own as the Bucs season came to a close with a 12-6 win by Central Florida to sweep the series 2-0.
The Bucs shot themselves in the foot right away as two walks and an error in the 1st inning turned into a run for the Patriots to give Central Florida the early 1-0 lead.
FSW answered in the bottom of the 1st as Derek Williams found a hole on the left side of the infield for a two out RBI single to tie the score at 1-1.
The 3rd inning followed a similar script as another defensive miscue for the Bucs led to the go ahead run for Central Florida before FSW answered with an RBI double from AJ Shaver in the bottom half to knot things at 2 after three.
The Patriots continued to provide pressure on the Bucs defense with traffic on the bases in the 4th, getting back to back RBI singles to push back in front 4-2. In the 5th it was a lone swing that did the damage for Central Florida as a two out solo home run made it 5-2 at the midway point of the contest.
FSW kept fighting though as three straight singles to begin the bottom of the 5th turned into a run before a bases loaded walk forced home another to make it 5-4. With two outs, an RBI single by Eddie-Boe Rodriguez tied the score at 5 and it looked like the Bucs had a chance to take the lead, but a runner was gunned down at the plate to end the inning to keep it a 5-5 game after five.
The Bucs went to the bullpen in the 6th , but it provided little relief as a four pitch walk followed by a hit batter put two on with nobody out and the Patriots cashed in both runners later in the inning to go back in front 7-5.
More free passes from the Bucs pitching staff gift wrapped a run for the Patriots in the 7th as four straight walks forced home a run before back to back balls on the infield netted runs to make it 10-5 Central Florida at stretch time.
The Bucs got a run on a sacrifice fly in the 7th but the Patriots answered again, scoring for the sixth and seventh straight frames in the 8th and 9th to finish off a 12-6 win to end the Bucs season.
The two teams had 10 hits a side, but Bucs pitching walked 10 and hit two more while committing three errors to make things easier for the Patriots.
Shaver finished the top offensive season in FSW history in style, going 4-5 with a pair of doubles to give him 24 on the season, tying the program's single season mark, while he becomes the first player in program history to hit .400 in a season, finishing at .403 with the four hit contest. Nate Earley went just 1-1 officially, but also walked four times, meaning that he reached base in all nine plate appearances in the regional. Kelan Hoover took the loss on the mound for FSW, allowing two runs in just 1/3 of an inning out of the bullpen to fall to 4-2 on the year.
FSW wraps up their season 31-22 while Central Florida improves to 48-6 and advances to next weekend's final four in Lakeland to try and defend their State Championship.