May 26, 2021
FSW Roars Back to Win in Epic Comeback at National Tournament
Florida SouthWestern State Head Coach Robert Iamurri has seen a lot of wins in his six years at the helm for the Buccaneers. Wednesday, he said, may have been the best of them all as his Bucs battled back from a three run 7th inning deficit to win 14-13 in a walk off against #6 Seminole State to advance to the semifinal round of the winner's bracket at the NJCAA National Tournament in Yuma, Arizona.
YUMA, Az.- Florida SouthWestern State Head Coach Robert Iamurri has seen a lot of wins in his six years at the helm for the Buccaneers. Wednesday, he said, may have been the best of them all as his Bucs battled back from a three run 7th inning deficit to win 14-13 in a walk off against #6 Seminole State to advance to the semifinal round of the winner's bracket at the NJCAA National Tournament in Yuma, Arizona.
The Bucs got off to a good start in the 1st, using a double play to end the top half and scoring a pair in the bottom half on a sacrifice fly from Shanika Klett and a Seminole error to give FSW an early 2-0 lead.
Seminole answered back in the 2nd, getting a leadoff double and a two run home run two batters later to even the score at 2.
The Trojans were back at it in the 3rd, sending 10 hitters to the plate and scoring four runs to take their first lead of the game at 6-2.
Janessa Plummer got the Bucs started in their half of the 3rd, chopping a single and then stealing second to put herself in scoring position before coming plateward on a Seminole error to make it a 6-3 game. After another Trojan miscue allowed the Bucs to extend the inning, Lindsey Corbin took advantage with an RBI groundout to get FSW back to within two at 6-4.
The merry go round on the bases continued in the 4th, this time the FSW defense helping the Trojans cause as Seminole pushed across five runs on just three hits, helped by three Buccaneer errors to open up an 11-4 advantage.
Once again the Bucs answered back in the bottom half as they loaded the bases with nobody out ahead of a two run single from Taylor Jensen to make it 11-6. Later in the frame Feline Poot ripped an RBI double to cut the Trojan lead to 11-7 and after Seminole's third pitching change of the game, Owen Bowers smacked a two run single to right to get the Bucs back to within two at 11-9.
After four innings of nothing but offense, the 5th was quiet for both sides as Alyson Marcum worked a 1-2-3 top half of the frame out of the FSW bullpen and the Bucs went down in order in their half to keep it an 11-9 game.
The offenses were back on display in the 6th as Seminole cranked a two run home run in the top half and Jensen went the other way for a solo shot in the bottom half to push the score to 13-10.
Emily Perrin came in out of the Bucs pen in the 7th and was electric, striking out the side to give FSW a chance in their last at bats.
On the first pitch of the bottom of the 7th Natavia Ellis hit a rocket out to left to draw the Bucs back to within two at 13-11. After a pop out on the infield Rebeca Laudino sliced a single to left to bring the tying run to the plate and Plummer picked up her third hit of the day to put two on with one out in the inning. Jensen scorched an RBI single to left to bring Laudino home and make it a 13-12 game and an error on the infield by Seminole allowed the Bucs to load the bases with just one out for the middle of their lineup. A fielder's choice groundout cut down the tying run at home one batter later to set up a dream scenario for FSW sophomore Owen Bowers. Just like you draw it up in the sandlot, two outs, bottom of the 7th, bases loaded, and the Bucs down one, Bowers fell behind in the count before staying back on a change up and driving it back up the box to score both the tying and game winning run and the FSW dugout erupted as the Bucs walked off the Trojans 14-13.
The game featured 30 hits, 27 runs, and seven errors, split almost evenly between the two. FSW racked up 16 hits thanks in large part to an electric effort from the top of their lineup. Each of the Bucs first three hitters had three hits in the win with Laudino and Plummer each picking up three hits and scoring three runs while Jensen finished 3-4 with a homer, four RBIs, and three runs scored. Bowers was the hero though, going 4-5 with four RBIs including the game winner in the 7th to seal the victory for the Bucs. Perrin earned the win in the circle with the perfect 7th, improving to 9-2 on the year.
With both teams going into the game with identical 45-4 records, FSW improves to 46-4 on the year with the win while Seminole falls to 45-5.
The Bucs advance to the semifinals of the winner's bracket at the tournament where they will take on #2 Butler on Thursday at noon (MST) while Seminole falls to the elimination bracket where they will take on Chipola at 11 PM in the desert tonight.
