Bucs Walk Off Eastern Florida at NJCAA World Series
For the second straight game, sophomore Megan Veilleux played hero for the #1 Florida SouthWestern Buccaneers at the NJCAA World Series in Alabama as after FSW saw a 6-0 lead disappear late against #11 Eastern Florida, Veilleux drove in Noelani Livingstone from third for a 7-6 walk off winner for the Bucs in the bottom of the 7th to advance to the tournament quarterfinals.
OXFORD, Ala.- For the second straight game, sophomore Megan Veilleux played hero for the #1 Florida SouthWestern Buccaneers at the NJCAA World Series in Alabama as after FSW saw a 6-0 lead disappear late against #11 Eastern Florida, Veilleux drove in Noelani Livingstone from third for a 7-6 walk off winner for the Bucs in the bottom of the 7th to advance to the tournament quarterfinals.
The game was loaded with action early on as Eastern Florida loaded the bases with one out in the 1st before FSW starter Zoe Yzaguirre dialed up a huge strikeout and got a pop up on the infield to get out of the jam and keep the Titans off the board.
The Bucs table setters did their jobs at the top of the lineup in the top of the 1st and Stephanie Basso did what she does best from the cleanup spot, depositing a 2-2 pitch into the bleachers in center field for a three run home run to give FSW a 3-0 lead.
The teams matched each other nearly identically the next two innings, both going down in order in the 2nd and both putting traffic on, but leaving them stranded in the 3rd to keep it a 3-0 game at the end of three complete.
The Bucs opened things up in the 4th as Bente Zwanenburg drew a bases loaded walk to make it 4-0 before Noelani Livingstone drilled a ball off the center field wall to drive home two more and extend the FSW lead to 6-0.
It looked like the Bucs were going to cruise to their sixth win of the season over the Titans as they needed just five more outs to close Eastern out in the 6th, but that's when the Titans came alive. Eastern got on the board for the first time on one swing in the 6th, cracking a two run home run to left to cut the FSW lead to 6-2.
The Bucs weren't able to add any insurance in the bottom of the 6th and it almost came back to haunt them.
Back to back one out singles and a hit batter loaded the bases for the Titans in the top of the 7th and brought the tying run to the plate. An infield single moved everyone up 60 feet and plated a run for Eastern and a sacrifice fly after a 12 pitch at bat made it a 6-4 game. Down to their final out, the Titans kept fighting, getting an RBI single to left to make it a one run contest while putting the tying and go ahead runs in scoring position with two outs. An FSW walk loaded the bases and another free pass behind that forced a run home and just like that the game was tied at 6. Lizzy Kwakernaak moved from second base into the circle to get the final out of the inning, but the damage was gone as a four run 7th for Eastern Florida tied the game up at 6.
Livingstone got the Bucs started with a leadoff infield single in the bottom of the 7th and moved into scoring position by swiping second one pitch later. Basso laid down a sacrifice bunt to move her over to third with one out and set up Tuesday's hero, Megan Veilleux, who came through once again with a single the other way to drive home Livingstone to give FSW a 7-6 walk off win.
Veilleux finished 2-3 with the game winning RBI for the second straight game while Livingstone was 3-4 with a pair of RBIs and Basso was 2-4 with a homer and three RBIs. Yzaguirre threw 4 1/3 scoreless innings, allowing just two hits over two different stints in the contest while Lizzy Kwakernaak earned the win, retiring the final hitter of the 7th and stranding the bases loaded before the FSW walk off to improve to 12-2 on the year.
FSW runs their win streak to 31 games with the victory as they improve to 56-5 on the year while Eastern Florida falls to 45-18.
The Bucs will be back at it Thursday night in the quarterfinals as they take on #4 Temple at 9:30 PM (ET) with a trip to the Final Four on the line.
