March 18, 2025
Bucs Hammer Manatees In Midweek Tilt
The #5 Florida SouthWestern State Buccaneers scored early and often Tuesday afternoon, hammering the visiting State College of Florida Manatees 11-1 in non-league action to improve to 24-7 on the year.
FORT MYERS, Fla.- The #5 Florida SouthWestern State Buccaneers scored early and often Tuesday afternoon, hammering the visiting State College of Florida Manatees 11-1 in non-league action to improve to 24-7 on the year.
The Bucs wiggled out of an early jam in the 1st as State College of Florida loaded the bases with two outs, but a line out to Evan Androvett in left ended the threat and gave FSW a chance to take an early lead.
That they just that in the bottom of the 1st as Luke Orfi and Carlos Sanchez drove in runs with sacrifice flies to put the Bucs in front 2-0 after one.
A pair of two out doubles for the Manatees in the 2nd got them on the board, but FSW answered right back on a two out, two run double from Brock Knoerr to stretch their lead to 4-1.
Bucs reliever Brandon Eldridge retired the Manatees in order in the 3rd and 4th and put up another zero in the 5th to keep FSW in front 4-1 midway through.
The Bucs added to their lead in the bottom of the 5th as two more sac flies, this time from Jake Mueller and another from Sanchez cleared the bases before a line shot off the bat of Nathan Fink left the yard to make it 7-1 FSW.
SCF started a rally in the 6th, but an FSW double play squashed that and the Bucs added another run in the bottom of the inning to cushion the lead to 8-1.
The Bucs came out swinging again in the 7th as Sanchez doubled to start the inning and Fink drove him home with a single to make it 9-1. A triple off the left center field wall from Devin Parks put the Bucs within one of the run rule and Alex Kuenzle took care of that, lining an RBI single to right to win it for the Bucs 11-1.
FSW outhit SCF 12-3 in the contest with contributions up and down the lineup. Knoerr, Sanchez, and Fink each finished with two hits and two RBIs while Parks had a pair of hits and two runs scored. Eldridge earned the win on the mound for the Bucs, going four scoreless through the middle innings to improve to 3-1 on the year.
The Bucs improve to 24-7 with the victory while State College of Florida drops to 20-11.
Next up for the Bucs is a big three game Citrus Conference series this weekend as they go to Melbourne to play Eastern Florida on Wednesday before returning home to Buccaneers Park in Fort Myers for a doubleheader Saturday beginning at noon.