FORT MYERS, FLA.- Rafael Santos and two relievers pitched the Florida SouthWestern State Buccaneers second shutout of the season Wednesday night at City of Palms Park in Fort Myers as the Purple and Aqua blanked visiting Pasco-Hernando 5-0 to improve to 13-2 on the year.
The Bucs got the scoring going in the second as Connor Bagnieski singled to lead off the inning and moved his way around the sacks before coming home on an RBI single from Victor Florentino to give FSW a 1-0 lead.
After Bucs starter Rafael Santos worked his third straight hitless inning in the top of the fourth, the FSW offense was back at it in the bottom half of the frame. After loading the bases on with one out, the Bucs took a 2-0 lead as Shamir Morales was walked to force a run home and tacked on two more on a single from Drake Dobyanski to make it a 4-0 game.
Santos continued to cruise thanks to a little help from his defense in the fifth and worked a 1-2-3 sixth before the Bucs added an insurance run on an RBI double from Florentino to make it 5-0.
They wouldn't need the extra run however as Santos worked through the seventh without yielding a run and turned it over to his bullpen who pitched two hitless innings to close things out as the Bucs notched their second shutout of the year in a 5-0 win.
Santos went seven innings, allowing just three hits and striking out six to improve to 2-0 on the year. Marc Davis pitched around a pair of walks in the eighth to keep the shutout intact and Ryan Gusto continued his impressive start to the year with a scoreless ninth to nail things down for the Bucs. FSW finished with eight hits in the win, getting two hits and two RBI's from Florentino and two knocks apiece from Bagnieski and Warnner Rincones.
The Bucs improve to 13-2 on the year with the win while Pasco falls to 6-7.
The same two teams will hook up on Friday in New Port Richey in a 2 PM first pitch.