April 24, 2025
#11 FSW Pushes Past Polk Late, Controls Destiny For League Title
Things couldn't have played out much better for the #11 Florida SouthWestern State Buccaneers on Thursday as not only did the Bucs go on the road and beat the Polk State Eagles 7-4, but they got some help in the league standings as Central Florida defeated Indian River meaning FSW is back in the driver's seat for the Citrus Conference Championship, controlling their own destiny heading into the final day of the 2025 regular season.
WINTER HAVEN, Fla.- Things couldn't have played out much better for the #11 Florida SouthWestern State Buccaneers on Thursday as not only did the Bucs go on the road and beat the Polk State Eagles 7-4, but they got some help in the league standings as Central Florida defeated Indian River meaning FSW is back in the driver's seat for the Citrus Conference Championship, controlling their own destiny heading into the final day of the 2025 regular season.
Both sides were quiet early on as FSW played with first place in the Citrus Conference standings on the line and Polk State playing with their postseason hopes in the balance. A Nathan Fink single was the only hit for the Bucs or Eagles through three innings of action as FSW and Polk remained scoreless as they flew to the 4th.
The Bucs broke through in the 4th as Jake Mueller doubled to start the inning and scored on a sacrifice fly from Carlos Sanchez to give FSW a 1-0 lead. Fink doubled to get the Bucs going again and Luke Orfi brought him home with a single to left to double the lead to 2-0. Orfi then used his wheels to give FSW a 3-0 lead, stealing second and then third before a Polk error allowed him to trot home to give the Bucs the three run advantage.
Bucs starter Robert Mitchell pitched out of trouble in the bottom of the 4th and his offense gave him some more support in the top of the 5th as Mueller cracked his second double in as many innings to drive home a run and make it a 4-0 game.
With their backs to the wall and their season on the line, the Eagles came out talons first in the 6th, getting three straight extra base hits to cut the Bucs lead to 4-3 before a two out single to left tied the score at 4 at the end of six.
Both teams pulled the strategy card out in the 7th, choosing to intentionally walk a hitter with two outs before working out of jams to keep it a 4-4 game into the 8th.
After two quick outs to begin the FSW 8th the Bucs mounted a rally as Orfi kept the inning alive with a single before Michael McAloose came through in the clutch with an RBI double to score Orfi and put FSW back in front 5-4. On the next pitch Devin Parks jumped ship, blasting a two run home run out to left to pad the Bucs lead to 7-4.
Josiah Velazquez worked his third straight scoreless inning in the 8th, striking out a pair to keep the Bucs up 7-4 before handing the ball over to Nicholas Lorenz for the 9th who blew through the Eagle order 1-2-3 to close out the win for the Bucs in the series opener.
Seven different Bucs contributed to a 12 hit attack for FSW in the win. Mueller finished 2-4 with a pair of doubles while Parks was 2-3 with a homer and two RBIs. Orfi collected two hits and scored two runs while Fink and Anthony Ruocco also chalked up two hit games.
Velazquez and Lorenz were lights out out of the FSW bullpen as Velazquez fired three shutout innings, striking out five to earn the win and improve to 2-1 on the year while Lorenz worked a 1-2-3 9th for his first career save.
The results were had serious consequences for both sides as FSW improves to 37-13 overall and 22-9 in Citrus Conference play where they take over the top spot in the league standings with two games left to go while Polk is eliminated from postseason contention with the loss as they fall to 27-26 overall and 14-17 in league play.
The two teams will hook up Saturday in Fort Myers with much on the line for FSW as the Bucs controls their own destiny for the Citrus Conference Championship while Polk looks to play spoilers with their fate already sealed. First pitch of the doubleheader will begin at 12:30 PM with the Bucs honoring their 14 sophomores in a ceremony pregame beginning at 12:15 PM.