FORT MYERS, Fla.- The Florida SouthWestern State Buccaneers' defense let them down Monday night at City of Palms Park, committing a season high five errors in an 8-4 loss to visiting Hillsborough to even up their three game Suncoast Conference season at a game apiece.  

 

Hillsborough scored first, getting a run on a hit and two FSW errors in the top half of the first to give the Hawks a quick 1-0 lead.  

 

The Hawks added to their lead in the 3rd, getting a bases loaded double to score a pair before a well executed relay from Tommy Joseph to Warnner Rincones, on home to Axel Melendez gunned down a runner at the plate to keep it a 3-0 game. 

 

For the second straight inning, the Bucs put on two in the 3rd, but again, couldn't push anything across as it remained 3-0 Hillsborough after three complete inning of play. 

 

The Bucs finally broke through in the 5th as they strung together four consecutive two out hits including RBI knocks from Jose Marcao and Matthew Corpas to make it a one run game at 3-2.  

 

Hillsborough got the two runs back before stretch time, plating a pair of runs after an FSW error to make it a 5-2 game. 

 

The Bucs didn't go down without a fight though as Jose Marcano drove in a run with a groundout and Rincones later scored on a wild pitch to make it 5-4. 

 

A solo home run for the Hawks in the 6th gave them some insurance and a 6-4 lead with six outs left to go.  

 

The Bucs had a golden opportunity to retake the lead in the 8th when they loses the bases with no outs before a strikeout and a lazy pop out ended the threat and kept it 6-4 Hillsborough after eight. 

 

More sloppy FSW defense contributed to two more Hillsborough runs in the 9th, allowing the Hawks to take an 8-4 lead after 8 1/2 innings of action.  

 

That is how it would end as Hillsborough took game two by that same count at 8-4 to set up a winner take all game three of the series Wednesday in Tampa.  

 

Tommy Joseph and Warnner Rincones each reached four times for FSW in the loss. Mason Adams takes the loss despite a quality start, going 6 innings, allowing 3 runs while striking out 7.  

 

FSW drops back to 16-10 overall and 4-2 in conference play with the loss while Hillsborough advances to 13-12 overall and 3-2 in league action.