Posted: Jan 26, 2024
BRADENTON, Fla.- Taking the diamond for the first time in 265 days, things didn't exactly go as planned for the #16 Florida SouthWestern State Buccaneers Friday on Opening Day at Wynn Field in Bradenton. The Bucs found themselves down 3-0 before they got their first licks and it was 6-0 after an inning and a half before eventually falling 20-10 to the #6 Northwest Florida State Raiders to kick off the 2024 season.
Things started bad and got worse for the Bucs right from the opening pitch as three four pitch walks in the top half of the first inning forced home a run and a Raider single through the left side tacked on two more to make it 3-0 Northwest Florida after a half inning of play.
The Raiders were back on the attack in the 2nd again aided by some Bucs wildness on the mound as a bases lodaded hit batter followed by a walk pushed two runs home and Northwest added a third run for the second straight inning on a groundout to take a 6-0 lead after an inning and a half.
The Bucs got on the board for the first time in the bottom of the 2nd as Luca Danos teed off on the first pitch he saw in his FSW career for a solo home run to make it a 6-1 ballgame.
Northwest didn't relent in the 3rd as they scored six more times, three coming after a two out FSW error to blow the game wide open at 12-1.
After another Raider run in the 4th, the Bucs had a bit of a bright spot in the bottom of the frame as Nate Earley popped a two run home run to right and Michael McAloose followed suit with a solo shot of his own to make it a 13-4 game.
Northwest Florida got a leadoff home run in the 5th to make it a 10 run game and then scored three more times on just one hit after four more free passes from FSW pitching to open up the lead to 17-4 midway through.
An RBI double from Justin Thomas followed by an RBI single from Victor Figueroa to drive him in made it 17-6 and some wildness from the Raiders pitching allowed two more Buccaneer runs to score on wild pitches to make it 17-8 Northwest after five complete.
Cade Sadler led off his second straight inning with a home run for the Raiders in the 6th to make it 18-8, but Figueroa answered with a two run home run of his own in the bottom half of the inning to get the Bucs back to within eight at 18-10.
The ball kept flying out of the yard in the 7th as Northwest cracked their fourth long ball of the ballgame to make it 20-10 and that is how it would end as FSW went down in order in their final cracks to end a wild opening day tilt between the two.
The Bucs found themselves on the wrong side of history in the loss as their 20 runs allowed were three runs more than their previous high of 17 which came in their inaugural season in 2016. FSW pitching allowed 18 free passes in the defeat, walking 13 and hitting 5 Northwest hitters.
Landon O'Donnell was collared with the loss in his FSW debut, allowing 5 runs on 3 hits and 4 walks in 1+ inning pitched. Mathew Shumate was the lone Buc with a scoreless appearance on the mound, going an inning and striking out one without allowing a hit.
The Bucs offense finished with 12 hits including 6 extra base hits in the loss. Four different players homered including Figueroa who finished 3-4 with 3 RBIs and 2 runs scored in his Buccaneer debut.
The Bucs drop their season opener for the second straight year.
FSW is back in action Saturday morning in Auburndale when they take on Pasco-Hernando in a 10 AM start followed by a matchup with Santa Fe at 1 PM.