FORT MYERS, FLA.- Playing their third game in less than 24 hours, the Florida SouthWestern State Buccaneers grinded through the fatigue Saturday afternoon at City of Palms Park in Fort Myers, outlasting the visiting Pasco-Hernando State Bobcats 5-3 to close out the non-conference portion of their schedule 18-3.
FSW got on the board first in the second inning when a pair of singles and a hit batter loaded the bases before Diego Millan coaxed a walk to force home a run and give the Bucs a 1-0 lead.
It stayed that way until the fourth when Pasco struck back. A leadoff double and a hit batter set the table for the Bobcats and after a double steal and a throwing error allowed one run to score a sacrifice fly plated another to give them their first lead of the game at 2-1.
After two quick outs in the FSW fifth, Mikey Burke popped a double to left to extend the inning for the Bucs. As Pasco did an inning earlier, Burke stole third and then scored on a throwing error by the catcher, tying the game at 2. Later in the frame Drake Dobyanski legged out an infield single to keep the inning going and with two outs Thomas Bennett laced a single to left to drive home a run and put the Bucs in front once again 3-2.
Pasco threatened to tie the game up their next time up, putting two in scoring position with two outs. A ground ball up the middle looked like it had eyes for the outfield until Thomas Bennett glided over and stabbed it, making a strong throw to first for the out to end the threat.
The Bucs used the momentum from the defensive end and carried it into their next at bats as Jose Marcano doubled to get things going and later scored on a wild pitch to make it 4-2 FSW. After a walk and a hit batter, Tommy Joseph grounded out to bring home another run to pad the Bucs lead to 5-2 after six.
The Bobcats put together three singles to score a run in the seventh, but they stranded the tying runs on base at innings end to keep it a 5-3 FSW lead at stretch time.
That would be all the scoring in the contest as one day after starting for the Bucs, Derek Rascher came out of the FSW bullpen to close things out, facing the minimum through two scoreless innings as the Purple and Aqua closed out a 5-3 win over the Bobcats.
Pasco actually outhit the Bucs in the contest 9-7 and FSW made three errors to just one for the 'Cats, but the Bucs took advantage of seven walks and four hit batters to claim victory. Marcano was the lone FSW hitter to record two hits on the afternoon while Bennett, Joseph, and Millan notched the three RBI's in the game for the Bucs. Mason Adams earned the win on the mound, improving to 3-0 on the year as he went 2 1/3 scoreless innings, allowing just two baserunners. Jesse Ferreira started and went three scoreless but didn't factor into the decision while Rascher earned his first save of the year, striking out two in two innings of work to close out the game.
The Bucs win their fourth straight to improve to 18-3 on the year while Pasco-Hernando falls to 8-11.
FSW will now turn their focus to Suncoast Conference play where they will open up with the league favorite State College of Florida Manatees next week. The two will play a customary back and forth three game series Monday, Wednesday, and Friday with the bookends being played in Bradenton and the middle game on Wednesday at home at City of Palms Park.