May 9, 2025
Bucs Blast Way to Opening Round Win at FCSAA Final Four
The #6 Florida SouthWestern State Buccaneers won a shootout in their opening game of the FCSAA Final Four on Friday, outlasting #22 State College of Florida 14-7 to advance to the semifinal round on Saturday where they will take on #24 Central Florida with a trip to the Championship Game on the line.
PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla.- The #6 Florida SouthWestern State Buccaneers won a shootout in their opening game of the FCSAA Final Four on Friday, outlasting #22 State College of Florida 14-7 to advance to the semifinal round on Saturday where they will take on #24 Central Florida with a trip to the Championship Game on the line.
Things got off to a bit of a rocky start for the Bucs in their sixth matchup of the season with the Manatees as State College of Florida got back to back hits to begin the game before scoring both later in the inning to jump in front of FSW 2-0 after a half inning of action.
SCF added to their lead in the 2nd, getting a two out RBI double into the corner to extend their advantage to 3-0.
The Bucs found some life in the bottom of the 2nd as Carlos Sanchez and Nik Pereira lashed back to back doubles to start the frame to get on the board and cut the Manatee lead to 3-1.
SCF scored for the third straight inning in the 3rd but Nathan Fink cut down a runner at the plate trying to score on a fly ball to right to dodge further damage to keep it a 4-1 game after 2 1/2.
The Bucs took advantage of a pair of SCF gifts in the bottom of the 3rd to get back into the game, and then some, as an error to start the inning and a hit batter put two on with nobody out before back to back RBI singles from Fink and Sanchez cut the Manatee lead to 4-3. Another SCF error allowed the Bucs third run of the inning to score to tie the game and later in the frame a sacrifice fly from Luke Orfi and the Manatees third error of the frame put the Bucs in front 6-4. The Bucs still weren't done. Next up was Devin Parks who cranked a fly ball deep to center field and off the wall and the Bucs speedster flew around the bases and got the wave from third base coach Cullen Smith and slid home for a two run inside the park home run to give FSW a seven run inning and an 8-4 lead as the dust settled.
FSW reliever Josiah Velazquez gave the Bucs two huge shutdown innings in the 4th and 5th to keep it an 8-4 game.
SCF got a run back in the 6th , but FSW responded right away as Jake Mueller launched a two run home run out to dead center to push the Bucs lead to 10-5.
FSW continued to add on after stretch time as Michael McAloose drove home Orfi who doubled to start the 7th and McAloose scored himself later in the frame on the Manatees sixth error of the ballgame to make it 12-5.
SCF made one last push, scoring two and putting the tying run in the hole in the 8th, but Bucs reliever Beau Brailey worked out of the jam thanks to some nifty defense from Orfi at short to keep the Bucs in front 12-7 after 7 1/2.
The Bucs added a pair of insurance runs in the 8th , but they didn't need them as Brandon Eldridge came in in the 9th and finished things off as FSW won their opener against the Manatees 14-7 to move onto the semifinals.
The Bucs were outhit in the contest, but took advantage of 10 Manatee free passes and 6 SCF errors in the win. Sanchez finished 4-5 with 3 runs scored for the Bucs while Mueller was 2-4 with a homer and 2 RBIs and McAloose continued his heater, reaching base four times and scoring twice for FSW. Velazquez earned the win out of the Bucs bullpen, going 4 1/3 big innings in middle relief to improve to 3-2 on the year.
FSW improves to 42-14 on the year while SCF falls to 37-20.
The Bucs advance to the FCSAA Semifinals where they will take on #24 Central Florida in an all Citrus Conference matchup on Saturday at 5 PM while SCF will play the weekend's first elimination game against #11 Gulf Coast Saturday at 1 PM.