TAMPA, Fla.- Marc Davis threw seven solid innings for the Florida SouthWestern State Buccaneers Baseball team Wednesday afternoon on the road in Tampa, but the Bucs bats could never get anything going against Hillsborough pitching, managing just five hits and one run in a 6-1 loss that clinched the series win for the Hawks in the first of two sets between the two teams this season.
FSW had the games' first scoring chance in the 3rd as Drake Dobyanski doubled and Kalvin Alexander walked to put two on with nobody out. A double play killed their momentum though and a fly out ended the inning with the game scoreless through three frames.
Hillsborough cracked the scoreboard first, getting a solo home run in the 4th to take a 1-0 advantage.
The Bucs put two more on in the top of the 5th, but again a twin killing ended their chances to even things up as it stayed a 1-0 game at the midway point of the contest.
FSW finally broke through in the 6th as Cameran Brantley launched a solo shot into the afternoon sky to even things up at 1 after six.
Marc Davis struck out two more Hawk hitters in the 7th to give him 10 for the game, but again the Bucs offense was unable to muster anything as the teams breezed to the 8th still knotted at 1.
The Bucs went to their bullpen in the 8th and that is when their troubles began. A leadoff walk and a two run home run gave the Hawks a 3-1 lead and after back to back hit batters, a double scored two more to quickly make it 5-1. The Hawks added another run later in the frame to take a commanding 6-1 lead after eight complete.
That was enough to do it as the Bucs went 1-2-3 in the 9th to fall 6-1.
Davis tossed seven solid frames, allowing just four hits and one run while striking out 10. Alan Mercado took the loss out of the Bucs bullpen, allowing two earned runs while retiring just one of the three batters he faced in the 8th. FSW managed just five hits in the loss, two coming from Brantley who accounted for the Bucs only run of the afternoon. The top five hitters in the FSW order went a combined 1-17 in the loss.
Hillsborough takes the series 2-1 and improves to 15-13 overall and 4-2 in Suncoast Conference action while FSW falls to 16-11 overall and 3-3 in league play.
The Bucs open up a three game in four day series against South Florida State on Friday at City of Palms Park in a 6 PM first pitch.