FORT MYERS, Fla.- Sometimes relief pitchers come in and get an out to get their team out of a jam, or sometimes they throw a scoreless inning to close out a win, and then there is what Grant Besser did for the #7 Florida SouthWestern State Buccaneers Monday afternoon in Downtown Fort Myers.  Besser entered early in what was shaping up to be a shootout between the Bucs and the State College of Florida Manatees and threw five innings of sparkling relief, allowing just one run to will FSW to a 9-6 win to clinch the series win and cut the Bucs magic number for their third straight Suncoast Conference Championship to just one. 

 

Things couldn't have gotten off to much of a better start for the Bucs as Kendry Noriega walked and Satchell Norman singled up the middle ahead of a three run opposite field home run from Jose Izarra to give FSW a quick 3-0 lead in the 1st.  

 

FSW starter Alejandro Valiente kept the Bucs right there, dealing through the first three innings including working a 1-2-3 top of the 3^rd to keep it a 3-0 game in favor of the Purple and Aqua. 

 

The Manatees offense finally broke out in the 4^th using five hits and an FSW error to score five times and take a 5-3 lead on the Bucs.  

 

FSW got the immediate answer their needed as Paxton Tomaini doubled to start the bottom of the 4^th and came around to score on an RBI single from Matthew Corpas to make it a one run game at 5-4. Moments later Braden Forchic split the gap with a double to plate the equalizer and a wild pitch and a sacrifice fly later and the Bucs were back in front 7-5.  

 

SCF got a run back on a long solo home run with two outs in the 5th, but the Bucs answered once again as Tomaini drove home a run with a groundout and a double steal netted FSW another tally to push their lead to 9-6.  

 

Bucs reliever Grant Besser took it from there, blanking the Manatees in the 6^th and getting a double play ball to work out of a jam in the 7^th to keep it a 9-6 game at stretch time. 

 

FSW didn't score again, but they didn't need to as Besser worked a quick 1-2-3 top of the 8^th and retired the Manatees in order again in the 9^th to put any thoughts of an SCF comeback to bed as the Bucs held on to win 9-6. 

 

Besser went five innings, scattering four hits and allowing just one run while striking out four to earn the win and improve to 3-1 on the year on the mound. Tomaini was the lone Buc with multiple hits, going 2-4 with an RBI and a run scored while Izarra reached base three times with a homer and a pair of walks, while collecting three RBIs on his 1^st inning blast.  

 

FSW takes their second series of the season over the Manatees, improving to 35-14 overall and 20-4 in Suncoast Conference play.  The loss is a big blow to the Manatees who fall to 28-21 overall and 13-11 in league play where they are now three games out of a playoff spot with just four games left to go.  

 

A Buccaneer win coupled with a Polk State loss to Hillsborough Monday night means that FSW is now just one win away from clinching their third straight Suncoast Conference Championship.  

 

FSW can clinch the title on the road Wednesday when they take on Polk State in Winter Haven in a 6 PM first pitch from Bing Tyus Yard.