FORT MYERS, FLA.- The Florida SouthWestern State Buccaneers took advantage of a generous ASA-Miami pitching staff and defense Saturday, getting a walk-off walk in the 11th inning of game one of the doubleheader for a 5-4 win before using 16 free passes, three errors, and four balks in game two to blowout the Silver Storm 10-2 to finish off the three game sweep at the Historic City of Palms Park.
Game one Saturday was one of the more puzzling games that you will see in the junior college baseball ranks.
FSW had a chance to get on the board right off the bat, loading the bases without the benefit of a hit, but a lineout ended the threat and kept the game scoreless after one.
ASA got on the board first in the third as they took advantage of a pair of FSW errors to plate a pair and take a 2-0 lead.
But the Silver Storm gave it right back to the Bucs in the bottom half of the inning, handing FSW three walks and threw away a ball on a stolen base attempt to allow two runs to score to tie the game at 2-2.
The Bucs had two on with nobody out in the fourth but couldn't manufacture a run and both teams went down in order in the fifth to keep it a 2-2 game as the game pushed through the middle innings.
The Silver Storm got another unearned run in the sixth to take a 3-2 lead as they plated a run on a bunt single, a throwing error, and a wild pitch and then tacked on a fourth run with a two out single in the seventh to go in front 4-2.
Mikey Burke picked up the Bucs first hit of the game to leadoff the FSW eighth and after a hit batter and a pair of throwing errors from ASA, the Purple and Aqua tallied two runs to tie the score at four.
Both teams threatened in the ninth with two baserunners each, but neither could score the go ahead run and that meant free baseball as the teams went to extra innings tied at four.
After a quick tenth, the game went to the eleventh still knotted at four. Mason Adams worked a quick top half on the mound for the Bucs and gave FSW a chance to walk off in the bottom half of the frame. After two looking strikeouts to start the bottom half of the inning, it looked like the teams were destined for a twelfth frame, but an infield single from Tommy Joseph and a rope to left from Nate Kinsch put two on with two out for the Bucs. Burke was hit by a pitch to load the bases and FSW walked it off, literally, as Thomas Bennett drew a free pass to push Joseph home and give the home team a 5-4 win.
For the second straight night, the Bucs won despite being outhit in the contest. FSW managed just three hits in the victory, but used eight ASA walks and five Silver Storm errors to aid in the victory. The Bucs were good on the mound, getting four innings of one hit ball from Jesse Ferreira to begin the game, followed by three solid frames from Joey Mugavero, and finally four spotless innings from Mason Adams in his collegiate debut to earn the win and close out the game.
FSW/ASA-MIAMI GAME TWO BOX SCORE
ASA looked bound and determined to take the series finale as they came out swinging in the first inning of the final game of the weekend. A walk followed by back to back singles gave the Silver Storm a 1-0 lead before FSW was able to record their first out of the game.
FSW starter Tommy Joseph settled in from there, throwing up zeroes in the second and third to give the Bucs a chance to take their first lead of the game in the bottom of the third as Jose Marcano crushed a ball to left for a sacrifice fly to tie the game and a wild pitch to score Connor Bagnieski to put FSW up 2-1.
The bottom of the fifth didn't start how the Bucs drew it up as their first two hitters of the frame were retired, but a double from Marcano and a walk to Victor Florentino put them in business with two on and two out. A balk moved the runners up 90 feet and then another balk on a pickoff attempt scored Marcano from third to make it a 3-1 game. After another walk, ASA was called for their second balk of the inning to plate another run to cushion the FSW lead to 4-1 after five.
There was more sloppy baseball on ASA's part in the sixth as a walk, a balk, a hit batter, and another walk loaded the bases for FSW with nobody out in the inning. A walk to Kinsch forced a run home and RBI's from Marcano and Florentino blew the game open to 7-1 as the teams went to the seventh.
The FSW bullpen continued to be solid with a quick top half of the seventh to send the game to stretch time and after the fans sang, the Bucs padded their advantage with a two run triple from Bagnieski who scored himself on a throwing error on the play to make it a 10-1 contest.
ASA scored an unearned run in the ninth, but it was far too little too late as the Bucs finished off a 10-2 victory to polish off the series sweep of the Silver Storm.
The final line score almost looked backwards as FSW finished with 10 runs on just five hits on the night. The Bucs drew 15 walks in the game with four different players drawing two or more walks. Joseph picked up the win on the mound, going five innings and allowing just the first inning run to earn his first victory with the Bucs. The bullpen threw four innings of hitless baseball as Marc Davis went two, Nate Madej went one, and Robert Weigielnik finished it off for FSW.
FSW/ASA-MIAMI GAME THREE BOX SCORE
The Bucs sweep the Silver Storm for the second straight season to begin the season 3-0. They will suit up again on Thursday when they welcome Miami Dade to City of Palms Park for a 5 PM first pitch.