March 8, 2025
Bucs Walk Off Manatees to Win Series
After being shutout in game one of Saturday's doubleheader against the State College of Florida Manatees, the #11 Florida SouthWestern State Buccaneers bounced back to win a wild 15-14 decision in walk off fashion in game two to split the day and clinch the Citrus Conference series between the two budding rivals.
FORT MYERS, Fla.- After being shutout in game one of Saturday's doubleheader against the State College of Florida Manatees, the #11 Florida SouthWestern State Buccaneers bounced back to win a wild 15-14 decision in walk off fashion in game two to split the day and clinch the Citrus Conference series between the two budding rivals.
It was an old fashioned pitcher's duel in game one of the doubleheader as hard throwing righthander Andrew McLaughlin took the ball for FSW against crafty lefty Lochlan Radloff of SCF.
The two hurlers matched zeros through the first four innings of action as the game flew to the 5th in less than an hour of game time.
The Manatees broke through in the 5th as back to back singles set the table and a mishandled bunt loaded the bases with nobody out. A single the other way put a number on the scoreboard for the first time as SCF took a 1-0 lead and a double play ball allowed another run to score to double the Manatees lead to 2-0.
That would be all that McLaughlin would allow, but it didn't matter as the Bucs couldn't solve Radloff who allowed just one runner over the final three innings, striking out a pair of Bucs in the bottom of the 7th to close things out and finish off his shutout as SCF took the opener 2-0 in a swift 1:36.
The game featured just nine total hits, five for SCF and four for FSW. McLaughlin was the tough luck loser, dropping his first collegiate decision despite going 6 1/3 innings and allowing just five hits and two runs to fall to 5-1 on the year.
To put it mildly, game two played out just a little bit differently.
State College of Florida matched both teams offensive production in game one in just two batters in game two as a leadoff walk followed by a two run home run to the bullpen in left center quickly gave the Manatees a 2-0 lead in the 1st.
The Bucs answered right back, loading the bases with nobody out before back to back SCF errors allowed all three runs to score to give FSW a 3-2 lead. A single to right from Evan Androvett knocked home two more and the Bucs first out of the inning, a groundout to first also brought in a run to make it 6-2 FSW. One pitch later Ty Hamilton unloaded on a two run shot down the right field line, hit first career longball to put the Bucs in front 8-2, still with just one out in the inning. Two more SCF errors put a runner on third for FSW and Brock Knoerr cashed the run in on a single the other way to up the Bucs lead to 9-2. SCF committed their fifth error of the inning after that to put runners on the corners with one out, but a pick off followed by a strikeout finally ended a wild first inning with FSW leading SCF 9-2.
The Bucs got two quick outs in the top of the 2nd, but a walk, a wild pitch and a single brought home a run for the Manatees to make it a 9-3 game.
FSW got the run back in the bottom of the 2nd when Nik Pereira launched a solo shot onto the batting cages in left to push their lead back to seven at 10-3.
SCF got a run back in the 4th and then played themselves right back into the game in the 6th, getting back to back run scoring hits, a wild pitch, and another double to close to within one before an RBI groundout gave them their sixth run of the inning to tie the game at 10.
Bucs reliever Delvison Reyes struck out the side in the top of the 7th and a Carlos Sanchez double followed by an RBI single to right from Androvett put FSW back in front 11-10.
A leadoff walk in the top of the 8th spelled trouble for the Bucs as SCF cashed in the freebie with a sac fly later in the inning to tie the score at 11.
A pair of infield singles and the Manatees sixth error of the game allowed FSW to score another unearned run in the 8th to put them back in front 12-11.
The Bucs 11th walk off the game put the tying run on for SCF in the 9th and a two run home run to center put the Manatees back in front 13-12. Two batters later another longball for SCF gave them their third run of the inning and put the Manatees up 14-12 to the bottom of the 9th.
With their backs to the wall, back to back doubles to start the 9th gave the Bucs a run and put the tying run in scoring position. The Bucs third straight double moved runners to second and third, still with nobody out in the inning and pinch hitter Nathan Fink wasted little time in making his presence felt, smacking the first pitch he saw back up the middle to score both runs and send the FSW dugout into an eruption as the Bucs walked off the Manatees 15-14 in a wild one to clinch the series win.
After game one saw just nine total hits, the Bucs and Manatees combined for 30 in game two with FSW recording 16 and SCF 14. The Manatees committed seven errors, leading to eight unearned FSW runs.
Androvett finished 3-5 with a pair of doubles and three RBIs in just his third career start. Luke Orfi and Anthony Ruocco each had three hits and combined to score four runs. Sanchez was 2-5 with a pair of doubles and three runs scored. Beau Brailey picked up the win out of the FSW bullpen to move to 2-0 on the year, recording the last out of the 9th for the Bucs before the walk off win in the bottom half.
The Bucs earn their 20th win of the season in the split, moving to 20-6 overall and 8-4 in Citrus Conference play where they fall a game back of Polk State after the Eagles sweep of Hillsborough over the weekend. SCF moves to 17-9 on the year and 7-5 in conference action.
FSW will take a step out of conference play on Tuesday for a date with TNXL Academy at Buccaneers Park beginning at 3 PM before beginning another big three game Citrus Conference series against Seminole State Thursday at 3 in Fort Myers.