March 4, 2020
Ellefson's Career Day Leads Bucs Past Sharks
Florida SouthWestern State sophomore Haley Ellefson did it all for the 3rd ranked Buccaneer Softball squad on Wednesday against Miami Dade, finishing a perfect 4-4 at the plate with three home runs and 10 RBIs in the doubleheader while also pitching the Bucs to a game one win as FSW swept past the Sharks 13-5 and 11-2 in a pair of run rule victories to improve to 21-2 on the year.
FORT MYERS, Fla.- Florida SouthWestern State sophomore Haley Ellefson did it all for the 3rd ranked Buccaneer Softball squad on Wednesday against Miami Dade, finishing a perfect 4-4 at the plate with three home runs and 10 RBIs in the doubleheader while also pitching the Bucs to a game one win as FSW swept past the Sharks 13-5 and 11-2 in a pair of run rule victories to improve to 21-2 on the year.
Taylor Jensen got the scoring started for the Bucs in the 2nd inning of game one, slamming her fourth home run of the season, a solo shot to give them an early 1-0 lead. After a walk to Pallas Potter, FSW pitcher Haley Ellefson helped herself out at the plate, cranking a two run homer to center to push the lead to 3-0.
Miami Dade showed some life themselves in the 4th, getting a single a walk, and a three run home run to tie the score at 3 with one swing of the bat.
Ellefson got the runs right back for herself in the bottom of the inning when she launched her second homer of the game, a three run shot, to make it a three run game once again at 6-3.
Miami Dade continued to fight, getting a two out, two run single in the 5th to make it just a one run game at 6-5.
RBI singles from Potter and Natavia Ellis made it a three run game once again at 8-5 before Ellefson tied a school record with her third home run of the game, another three run bomb to left to open things up to 11-5.
After Ellefson put up a zero in the top of the 6th, her offense put it away for her in the bottom half of the frame. Lindsey Corbin singled home a run to make it 12-5 and Jensen doubled home a run later in the inning to make it 13-5 and kick in the run rule in an FSW win.
Ellefson's career game included her going a perfect 3-3 with three home runs and eight RBIs while also going the distance in the circle to improve to 11-1 on the year while allowing seven hits and five runs.
Jensen also had a big game that was overshadowed by Ellefson's effort as she finished 3-4 and just a triple short of the cycle while driving in two and scoring a pair of runs.
Game two was never close. FSW jumped on Miami Dade right off the bat as two batters in, Corbin ripped an RBI double to left before scoring two pitches later on a passed ball to give the Bucs a quick 2-0 lead. Later in the FSW 1st Feline Poot singled and scored on another passed ball, and a successful bunt hit from Janessa Plummer scored another to give the Bucs a 4-0 lead after one.
The Bucs added to the lead in the 2nd when Poot ripped a two run home run to left to make it 6-0 and one inning later she brought home two more with a deep double to center to make it an 8-0 game.
Bucs starter Alyssa O'Donnell carved through the Shark order in the 4th to finish her day and keep it an 8-0 game.
Ellefson came in for a pinch hit opportunity in the 4th and added to her big day with a two run single to cushion the lead to 10-0 and Ellis drove home another with an RBI single to make it 11-0.
Miami Dade got two in the 5th to break up the shutout, but it wasn't enough to keep the game going as FSW finished off another run rule victory, this one 11-2 to collect the season sweep of the Sharks.
O'Donnell earned the win in the circle, allowing just one hit in four solid innings of work, striking out eight without walking a batter to improve to 4-1 on the year.
The Bucs offense finished with 11 hits, getting a 3-3, four RBI effort from Poot and two hits each from Ellis and Alyssa LoSauro in the win.
FSW improves to 21-2 with the sweep while Miami Dade falls to 9-18. The Bucs have now won 18 of 20 in the all-time series.
The Bucs will wrap up an eight game homestand on Thursday when they host Lincoln Trail in doubleheader action beginning at 3 PM.