Posted: Feb 06, 2022
PANAMA CITY, Fla.- The #15 Florida SouthWestern State Buccaneers stormed their way into Sunday's Championship game at the 2022 Perfect Game Juco Classic in Panama City, thumping #18 Florence-Darlington Tech 8-2 in their quarterfinal matchup Saturday morning and Wallace State 5-2 Saturday night to advance to the title game.
It was a top 20 matchup in the quarterfinals as the 15th ranked Bucs took on the 18th ranked Stingers of Florence-Darlington Tech Saturday morning.
FSW wasted no time in flexing their muscles and getting out in front as Hunter Fitz-Gerald drove home two with a single and the Bucs drew a bases loaded walk later in the top of the 1st to take a 3-0 lead right off the bat.
The Bucs added to their lead in the 3rd as Kendry Noriega and Kalvin Alexander picked up back to back two out RBI singles to up their lead to 7-0.
FSW starter Magnus Ellerts kept the Stingers at bay through his three innings of work and reliever Grant Besser blanked Flo-Dar in the 4th and 5th frames to keep it a 7-0 game into the 6th.
The Stingers finally cracked the scoreboard with a pair of runs in the 6th, but the Bucs got one right back in the top of the 7th as Ronny Medina came through with a two out RBI single to push the lead back to 8-2.
That was it for Florence-Darlington as Besser finished them off in the 7th, securing an 8-2 win for the Purple and Aqua.
Ellerts tossed three one hit innings while Besser went four without allowing an earned run to earn his first win of the season.
The Bucs finished with six hits from six different players, Fitz-Gerald finishing 1-4 with a pair of RBIs while Paul Winland was 1-3 with a pair of runs scored.
FSW ran wild in the win as seven different players combined for 10 steals including two bags each for Kalvin Alexander, Kendry Noriega, and Paul Winland.
The win sent the Bucs onto the semifinals where they squared off against Wallace State with a trip to the title game on the line.
Neither team could get anything going early on as Wallace put two in scoring position but couldn't score in the 1st and the Bucs loaded the bases with no outs in the 2nd but couldn't push a run across to keep it scoreless after two.
The Bucs again pushed the sacks full in the 3rd but couldn't score and neither team threatened in the 4th inning of the pitcher's duel as it remained 0-0 at the end of four complete.
FSW went back to their roots with a little Bucs ball in the 5th as they took advantage of two walks and a pair of hit batters to score three times to take a 3-0 lead.
Wallace answered with a crooked number of their own in the bottom of the inning, getting a pair, but leaving the bases loaded at the end of the inning to allow FSW to keep the lead at 3-2.
Mr. Clutch, Hunter Fitz-Gerald again answered the call in the 6th, ripping a one single back up the middle to drive home run, effectively doubling the Bucs lead at 4-2.
The Lions put two on with two out in their half of the 6th, but Riley Skeen came in from the FSW bullpen and ended the threat with a strikeout to keep it a 4-2 game in favor of FSW.
The Bucs added an insurance run in the 7th, but they wouldn't need it as Skeen punched out a pair in the 7th to seal the deal for FSW, giving the Bucs a 5-2 win to advance to the title game.
Ben Peterson earned the win for the Bucs, going 4 2/3 innings without allowing an earned run while striking out six. Skeen earns his first save of the year with 1 1/3 innings of perfect baseball. Fitz-Gerald was once again the offensive star, going 2-4 with two RBIs while Noriega finished 2-5 with a pair of runs scored atop the order.
The Bucs remain unbeaten on the year at 8-0 with the wins and advance to the tournament's Championship game where they will take on Region VIII rival Northwest Florida State Sunday at 2:00 (CST) with a title on the line.