FORT MYERS, Fla.- Reigning FCSAA Player of the Week AJ Shaver remained red hot, homering for his program record fourth straight game, but it wasn't enough for the Florida SouthWestern State Buccaneers as they couldn't overcome a disastrous defensive start in the 1^st inning in a 5-2 loss to the Miami Dade Sharks to open the two team's three game Southern Conference series Wednesday afternoon at Buccaneers Park in Fort Myers. 

 

The Bucs couldn't have drawn up a much worse start in the top of the 1^st as the first batter of the game reached on an error and two batters later their second error of the frame allowed a run to score and Miami Dade to take a 1-0 lead in the contest.  A wild pitch plated the Sharks second run of the game before a third FSW error in the inning made it a 3-0 game.  

 

More defensive trouble for the Bucs allowed the Sharks to extend the lead in the 3^rd as a pair of wild pitches including a dropped third strike and a passed ball later in the frame made it a 4-0 game in favor of Miami Dade. 

 

The Bucs had a golden opportunity to get back into the game in the 4^th as AJ Shaver doubled to lead off the frame and a walk to Joel Gardner put two on with nobody out.  But Shaver was picked off of second and two batters later the inning was over with Miami Dade holding onto their shutout and the lead at 4-0. 

 

Miami Dade scored their fifth unearned run of the ballgame in the 6^th as a hit batter, a walk, and a throwing error resulted in a run without the benefit of a hit as the Sharks extended their lead to 5-0.  

 

The Bucs finally cracked the scoreboard in the bottom of the 6^th as Gardner doubled to the left field wall and Derek Williams drove him in with a single up the middle to make it 5-1. 

 

FSW reliever Reyn Watson kept the Sharks right there, putting up three straight zeroes to finish out the game, but all the Bucs could manage was a solo home run for Shaver in the 8^th as the Sharks finished off a 5-2 win to take the early lead in the series. 

 

The Bucs actually outhit the Sharks 8-5 in the loss, but it was four FSW errors allowing all five unearned Miami Dade runs that was the difference.  Shaver finished 2-4 with a homer, his fourth straight game with a long ball, while Gardner was 2-3 with a double and a run scored.  Tyler Kennedy turned in a solid start for the Bucs on the mound, going 5 2/3 innings and allowing just four hits while all five runs scored against him were unearned as he fell to 2-4 on the year. Watson went 3 1/3 scoreless out of the FSW bullpen with three strikeouts to give the Bucs a chance late.  

 

The Bucs drop back to back games for the first time in six weeks as they fall to 26-15 overall and 8-5 in Southern Conference action. Miami Dade improves to 25-11-1 overall and takes over pole position in the league race with a 9-4 mark.  

 

The Bucs and Sharks will go back at it Friday in Miami before returning to Buccaneers Park on Saturday for the series finale at 2 PM.