February 20, 2021
Bucs Hammer Vikings, Drop First of 2021 to #3 Central Florida
The day started good for the #1 ranked Florida SouthWestern State Buccaneers Saturday at the Courtney Miller Invitational in Sanford as they put it on St. John's River by a count of 10-0 in a five inning run rule. Their second game of the day didn't go as well as a late home run for #3 Central Florida doomed the Bucs in a 4-3 loss, their first of the 2021 season.
SANFORD, Fla.- The day started good for the #1 ranked Florida SouthWestern State Buccaneers Saturday at the Courtney Miller Invitational in Sanford as they put it on St. John's River by a count of 10-0 in a five inning run rule. Their second game of the day didn't go as well as a late home run for #3 Central Florida doomed the Bucs in a 4-3 loss, their first of the 2021 season.
In their first game of the day against St. John's River, the Bucs got busy right away. FSW scored three in the 1st, getting an RBI double from Lindsey Corbin and another later on in the frame from Sterre Den Duijn to give them a quick 3-0 lead.
They were back at it in the 2nd as Corbin ripped her second RBI double in as many at bats and Natavia Ellis followed it up with a run scoring double of her own to make it 6-0. After Shanika Klett was hit by a pitch Chelsea Brown launched her first career home run out to left, a three run shot to make it 9-0 FSW. The Bucs kicked the extra point later in the inning on a passed ball to take a 10-0 lead after two innings of play.
The Bucs couldn't capitalize on a bases loaded, no out situation in the 3rd, but it didn't matter as Alyssa O'Donnell pitched FSW through four and Sarah Clontz closed it out in the 5th as the Bucs went on to win 10-0 in a five inning run rule.
The Bucs banged out 10 hits, including seven for extra bases in the victory. Corbin and Den Duijn each went 2-3 with two doubles and an RBI while Rebeca Laudino finished with two hits at the top of the FSW lineup. Brown was 1-2 with her 2nd inning three run shot and Klett was officially 0-1, but scored two runs and stole three bases in the victory. O'Donnell improved to 4-0 on the year, going four innings and allowing just two hits, both singles, while striking out nine.
Things ramped up for the Bucs in their second matchup of the day as they squared off in a rematch of the 2019 FCSAA State Championship Game with #3 Central Florida.
The Patriots were the first to score in this one, plating a 1st inning run on a bunt single and a double to right to take an early 1-0 lead.
The Bucs tied the score at 1 in the 3rd when Taylor Jensen reached on a two out single and then scored on an RBI double from Klett to the right field wall.
Central Florida retook the lead on a solo home run in the 4th to make it 2-1, but a clutch two out double from Jensen in the Bucs next at bats tied the score back up at 2 after 4 1/2 innings of action.
The long ball hurt FSW again in the bottom of the 5th as a two out homer to left for the Patriots gave them the lead back at 4-2.
The Bucs got a run back in the 6th and put the tying run on base in the 7th, but couldn't push the tying run across, falling 4-3 for their first loss of the 2021 season.
FSW had seven hits in the loss, with Jensen and Klett leading the offense with two hits, a double, and an RBI each. Emily Perrin suffered the loss in the circle, going the distance and allowing six hits and four runs, all earned, and striking out five to drop to 4-1 on the year.
The Bucs move to 9-1 overall on the year with the split on Saturday.
FSW will be back in action on Sunday when they take on a pair of Panhandle foes in #19 Pensacola State and Gulf Coast State at 9:30 and 11:30 respectively.