Bucs Shoot Back Into Top 10 After League Title
After clinching their first Citrus Conference Championship in program history, the Florida SouthWestern State Buccaneers rose four spots in the NJCAA National Poll on Monday, landing at #7 to close out their regular season.
CHARLOTTE, N.C.- After clinching their first Citrus Conference Championship in program history, the Florida SouthWestern State Buccaneers rose four spots in the NJCAA National Poll on Monday, landing at #7 to close out their regular season.
The Bucs had a busy and important week last week, playing four times. Tuesday they dropped an extra innings affair to State College of Florida in a 12-11 shootout to dash their chances at a 40 win regular season, but they had bigger things in mind. Entering the weekend one game down to Indian River with three left to play for the Citrus Conference Championship, the Bucs swept Polk State 7-4, 6-5, and 12-0 while the Pioneers dropped a game to Central Florida. With the teams tied in the standings, but FSW winning two of three during their early season series, FSW was crowned the Citrus Conference Champions for the first time in program history.
The Bucs finish the regular season 39-13 with 10 total wins over Top 25 ranked opponents at the NJCAA Division I and II levels.
Walters State takes over the #1 spot in the poll, flip flopping with LSU-Eunice while Cowley and Weatherford swapped spots at #3 and #5 and Blinn stood pat at #4. The Bucs were this week's biggest risers, moving up four spots to #7 while Midland suffered the largest fall, going from #6 all the way down to #13. The Bucs were joined in the poll by fellow FCSAA members #11 Indian River, #12 Gulf Coast State, #18 Northwest Florida, and the lone newcomer into the Top 25, #25 State College of Florida.
FSW will now turn their attention to the postseason where they will host a best of three series Friday, Saturday, and Sunday in the Fort Myers Regional at Buccaneers Park. The Bucs matchup will be announced later this week.