April 17, 2025
Bucs Bats Carry Them Past Pats
For just the second time this season, the #2 Florida SouthWestern State Buccaneers scored 10 or more runs in both ends of a doubleheader Thursday afternoon at Buccaneers Park as they took on the Central Florida Patriots. The Bucs needed all the runs they got, coming from behind in both games for 10-8 and 10-4 wins to retake the lead in the Citrus Conference standings at 29-5.
FORT MYERS, Fla.- For just the second time this season, the #2 Florida SouthWestern State Buccaneers scored 10 or more runs in both ends of a doubleheader Thursday afternoon at Buccaneers Park as they took on the Central Florida Patriots. The Bucs needed all the runs they got, coming from behind in both games for 10-8 and 10-4 wins to retake the lead in the Citrus Conference standings at 29-5.
The Bucs jumped on the Patriots right away in game one getting an RBI single from Virginia Mambelli and a two run double from Megan Veilleux in the bottom of the 1st to take an early 3-0 lead.
Central Florida got even in the 3rd, getting a leadoff home run, a bases loaded single, and a bases loaded walk to force home run and tie the score at 3 after three.
Free passes haunted the Bucs again in the 4th as back to back walks started things for Central Florida and the Patriots went on to score five times in the inning to break the tie and take an 8-3 lead midway through.
The Bucs got their first 1-2-3 inning on defense in the top of the 5th and they rode the momentum right into the bottom half when they came to bat.
Faith Wharton singled up the middle with the bases loaded to drive home a pair and Kmari Williams laid down a perfect bunt to bring home another to get FSW back to within two at 8-6. Later in the inning an RBI groundout from Skylar Brennan made it a one run game before a crucial two out error on the Patriots allowed two runs to score and give the Bucs the lead back at 9-8.
McKenzie Bailey-McDowell fired her second straight scoreless inning in the 6th and the Bucs added some insurance in the bottom of the inning as Veilleux and Wharton ripped doubles to make it a 10-8 game.
Things got interesting in the 7th as Central Florida got back to back singles to start the inning, putting the tying runs on base and bringing the go ahead run to the plate with nobody out. A pop up on the infield gave the Bucs their first out and Wharton gunned down a runner at second trying to steal for out number two before a groundout to short ended the threat and the game with FSW hanging on to win the opener 10-8.
The Bucs actually got outhit by the Patriots 12-9 in the game, but FSW took advantage of seven walks by Central Florida pitching in the win. Veilleux and Wharton stole the show offensively with Veilleux going 3-4 with a pair of doubles and two RBIs while Wharton was 2-3 with a double and three RBIs. Bailey-McDowell earned the win in relief for FSW, going three innings and yielding five hits and three runs to improve to 5-1 on the year while Bucs starter Leah Meyer came back in to close things out and earn her second save of the season.
FSW had to play catch up right away in game two as Central Florida came out and scored a pair in the 1st to take an early 2-0 lead before an RBI single from Emily Allegood and a Patriot error allowed the Bucs to score twice and level things up in the bottom of the inning.
The game didn't stay tied long as for the second straight inning to begin the game, an FSW free pass to start the inning turned into a run and Central Florida added another to retake the lead 4-2 after an inning and a half.
The Bucs got a run back in the bottom of the inning on an RBI single from Williams and then took their first lead of the game in the 3rd on a wild pitch and another RBI from Williams to go ahead 5-4.
Central Florida threatened in the top of the 4th with two straight singles to start the inning before back to back strikeouts from Lizzy Kwakernaak cooled things down and a pop up to second got FSW out of it still holding their 5-4 advantage.
The Bucs added to their lead in the 5th as a one out walk to Allegood and a hit batter put two on and Karolina Dvorakova drove Allegood home with a single the other way before Wharton continued her big day with a successful safety squeeze to pad their lead to 7-4.
FSW continued putting pressure on the Patriots in the 6th , scoring three times highlighted by a two out, pinch hit RBI single from Brooklyn Scott to open up a 10-4 lead after six.
Kwakernaak remained dialed in in the 7th , setting down the Patriots in order to close things out and give FSW a 10-4 win to finish off the sweep.
Kwakernaak threw five scoreless innings of relief, striking out seven to earn the win and improve to 11-2 in the circle on the year. Eight different players recorded hits for the Bucs in the win including Noelani Livingstone who was 2-4 with a run scored at the top of the order.
The Bucs sweep the season series with the Patriots to improve to 43-5 overall and 29-5 in Citrus Conference action where they retake the lead in the league standings with two weeks left to go. Central Florida suffers a big blow in their slim hopes of reaching the 2025 postseason as they fall to 22-26 overall and 12-20 in conference action.
FSW will enjoy the Easter weekend off before returning to action next Thursday at home when they host Polk State in a 2 PM doubleheader at Buccaneers Park in Fort Myers.
