March 28, 2025
Bucs Make Short Work Of Falcons In Sweep
The #13 Florida SouthWestern State Buccaneers put on a show Friday afternoon at Buccaneers Park in Fort Myers, hammering Daytona State 12-0 and 17-3 in a pair of five inning run rules to complete the three game sweep of the Falcons in Citrus Conference action.
FORT MYERS, Fla.- The #13 Florida SouthWestern State Buccaneers put on a show Friday afternoon at Buccaneers Park in Fort Myers, hammering Daytona State 12-0 and 17-3 in a pair of five inning run rules to complete the three game sweep of the Falcons in Citrus Conference action.
Playing as the road team on Friday due to a venue change, FSW jumped in front of Daytona right away in game one of the doubleheader, loading the bases with nobody out in the top of the 1st before Jake Mueller drove home a pair and Carlos Sanchez brought home a third run for the Bucs to give them a 3-0 lead before Daytona got to hit for the first time.
The Bucs opened things up in the 3rd, using a wild pitch, an infield single, and a balk to double the lead to 6-0 before Michael McAloose singled back up the middle to make it 7-0 Bucs after 2 1/2.
FSW starter Abel Albarran kept it right there with a 1-2-3 bottom of the 3rd and the offense kept on swinging in the 4th as Sanchez cleared the bases with a two out double to the gap and scored when Nathan Fink ripped an RBI double to left center to blow the game wide open at 11-0.
The Bucs added an unearned run in the 5th on a Daytona error and Albarran finished things off in the bottom half, firing his third straight 1-2-3 inning to seal up a 12-0 run rule win in five for FSW.
Albarran was outstanding, retiring the final 12 hitters he faced after allowing his lone hit and baserunner of the game in the 2nd. He finished with a one hit shutout to improve to 3-1 on the year, needing just 60 pitches to get the job done.
Sanchez was the offensive story in game one, going 2-3 with five RBIs while Devin Parks was 2-4 with a pair of runs scored.
Looking to avoid the sweep, Daytona took advantage of a leadoff walk in the bottom of the 1st of game two to score their first run of the day and take an early 1-0 lead.
The lead wouldn't last long for the Falcons as FSW quickly answered with an RBI single from Fink in the top of the 2nd to tie the game and a passed ball on the Falcons allowed a second Buccaneer run to score to put FSW in front 2-1. Luke Orfi doubled down the left field line to bring home two more and moments later Brock Knoerr shot a two run single the other way to quickly make it 6-1 FSW. The merry go round continued as the Bucs loaded the bases for Sanchez and he delivered a two run double to right to make it 8-1 and Fink crushed a ground rule double to left center to bring home two more and make it 10-1 FSW. The Bucs weren't done yet as Orfi picked up his second RBI knock of the frame to push the lead to 11-1 and Anthony Ruocco and Evan Androvett both notched RBI singles of their own to stretch the lead to 14-1. Before it was over, the Bucs had sent 19 batters to the plate in the inning, collecting 12 hits and scoring 14 times to blow the game open to 14-1.
Daytona got a pair back in the bottom of the inning to make it a 14-3 game and things would calm down from there as neither team got anything going in the 3rd and 4th as it remained an 11 run lead for FSW.
The Bucs added on to their lead in the 5th as Sanchez lifted a sacrifice fly to center to bring home a run and Fink picked up his second two run double of the game to make it 17-3 Bucs.
Delvison Reyes came in out of the FSW bullpen and worked a 1-2-3 bottom of the 5th to finish things off as the Bucs took their third straight game via run rule over the Falcons with a 17-3 win in five to complete the series sweep.
Ten different players recorded a hit for the Bucs in the win. Fink and Sanchez led the way, combining to go 5-6 with three doubles and eight RBIs while Orfi added a pair of hits and three RBIs, all coming in the Bucs big second inning. Three different FSW pitchers threw scoreless innings out of the bullpen including Nicholas Lorenz who earned the win to improve to 4-1 on the year with a clean sheet in the 4th.
The Bucs earn the series sweep to improve to 28-9 overall and 14-7 in Citrus Conference play. Daytona's roller coaster season continues as they drop to 11-21 overall and 9-12 in league action.
The Bucs will be back in action next Thursday when they conclude a rare six game homestand with a 3 PM first pitch against Santa Fe at Buccaneers Park.