April 1, 2021
Bucs Blast Hawks to Extend Win Streak to 11
The Hillsborough Hawks are going to wake up in the morning wishing Thursday's Suncoast Conference doubleheader with #2 Florida SouthWestern was an April Fool's joke. The Bucs hammered out 35 hits in just 11 innings, crushing the Hawks 16-2 and 10-0 in a pair of run rule wins to push their winning streak to double digits.
TAMPA, Fla.- The Hillsborough Hawks are going to wake up in the morning wishing Thursday's Suncoast Conference doubleheader with #2 Florida SouthWestern was an April Fool's joke. The Bucs hammered out 35 hits in just 11 innings, crushing the Hawks 16-2 and 10-0 in a pair of run rule wins to push their winning streak to double digits.
The Bucs didn't waste any time jumping on the Hawks in game one as Shanika Klett stroked a single to right to drive home a run in the top of the 1st and Chelsea Brown followed suit two batters later to give FSW a 2-0 lead before Hillsborough even got their first swings in.
After a scoreless 2nd for both sides, the Bucs doubled their lead in the top of the 3rd when Natavia Ellis crushed an 0-2 pitch out to left to make it 4-0 FSW after three.
FSW continued to cushion their lead in the 4th as Klett picked up RBIs number two and three in the game with a double to right to make it 6-0 Bucs.
Starter Alyson Marcum put up another zero for the Bucs in the 4th and they tacked on another run in the 5th with an RBI single from Lindsey Corbin to make it 7-0.
Hillsborough got on the board for the first and only time on the day in the bottom of the 5th with a two out single to cut the FSW lead to 7-2, but the Bucs got that back and more in their next at bats.
Taylor Jensen welcomed a new Hillsborough pitcher out of the bullpen with a leadoff home run in the 6th and three straight RBI singles for the Bucs pushed the lead to 12-2. A two run double from Feline Poot made it 14-2 and pushed two more across to wrap up a nine run inning and take a 16-2 lead.
Marcum did the rest herself, getting two comebackers in the circle and striking out the final batter she faced to finish off a 16-2 run rule win for FSW after six.
The Bucs had a season high 20 hits in the win, getting multi-hit games from six different players. Klett went a perfect 4-4 with three RBIs and three runs scored to lead the way while Jensen was 3-4 with three runs scored and Corbin was 2-4 with three RBIs. Marcum went the distance to earn her third win of the year, scattering nine hits and allowing just one earned run while striking out five.
It took the Bucs a little bit longer to get going in game two of the twinbill, but once they did, the Hawks again couldn't slow them down.
Janessa Plummer scored on a little league home run for the Bucs to start the 3rd, reaching on a bunt single and coming all the way around on a Hillsborough throwing error to give FSW a 1-0 lead. More sloppy Hillsborough defense allowed the Bucs to extend upon their lead and a single up the middle from Natavia Ellis pushed their lead to 5-0.
FSW starter Sarah Clontz worked out of some trouble in the bottom of the 3rd and the Bucs offense was back at work in the top of the 4th.
Four straight singles including RBI knocks from Jensen and Klett made it 7-0 and a sacrifice fly from Owen Bowers brought home another to stretch the lead to 9-0 later in the inning.
An RBI double from Corbin in the 5th gave FSW a 10 run lead and Clontz did the rest, retiring the side in order in the bottom of the frame to finish off a 10-0 run rule win after five.
Clontz tossed her second career shutout to improve to 5-0 on the year, allowing six hits without walking a batter and striking out four. Plummer and Corbin each had three hits, an RBI, and two runs scored, while Bowers and Jensen both drove in a pair for the Bucs.
The wins were the 10th and 11th straight for the Bucs who improve to 28-3 overall and a perfect 9-0 to wrap up the first half of Suncoast Conference play. Hillsborough falls to 7-23 overall and 2-8 in league play.
FSW is back in action on Saturday when they play the World's #3 ranked team in Team Canada at 11 AM at City of Palms Park as the Canadians prepare for the upcoming Olympics. The Bucs get back to league action next Tuesday when they travel to Avon Park to take on South Florida State.