TAMPA, Fla.- Things didn't look good for the Florida SouthWestern State Buccaneers Thursday afternoon in Tampa as they fell behind 5-0 right off the bat in game one of their three game battle for first series with the upstart Hillsborough Hawks. That's when Landen Burch came in to save the day, throwing six scoreless innings out of the bullpen to allow the Bucs to get back into the game before Mr. Clutch Victor Figueroa blasted a three run home run in the 8^th to put the Bucs ahead for good as FSW knocked off the Hawks 7-5 in dramatic fashion to begin the series. 

 

It was a dreadful start for the Bucs in the 1^st as Hillsborough loaded the bases with one out before back to back walks forced a pair of runs home to put the Hawks in front 2-0. A single plated the Hawks third run of the inning and an error allowed two more runs to score to put Hillsborough up 5-0 at the end of an eventful 1^st inning of action. 

 

The Bucs began their uphill climb in the 2^nd as Cooper Clapp drove home a run with a single and Victor Figueroa followed suit with two outs to cut the Hillsborough lead to 5-2. 

 

Enter Landen Burch out of the FSW bullpen. Burch fired a scoreless 2^nd and it looked like the Bucs were going to keep chipping away in the 3^rd  as they loaded the bases with two outs in the frame, but a strikeout ended the threat and kept Hillsborough in front 5-2. 

 

Burch fired a 1-2-3 bottom of the 3^rd and kept it a 5-2 game with a scoreless 4th. 

 

Luca Danos ripped an RBI double in the 5^th to make it a 5-3 game and he moved to third and then scored on a sacrifice fly from Jared Davis to get the Bucs back to within one at 5-4. 

 

Burch worked around a leadoff double in the bottom of the 5^th and posted his fifth straight zero in the 6^th to keep it a 5-4 game at the end of six. 

 

The Bucs got a leadoff single in the 7th, but couldn't push the equalizer across as it remained a 5-4 game at stretch time. 

 

Burch continued his dominance in the 7th, closing his outing with a strikeout on a big breaking ball to send the game to the 8^th with the score still 5-4. 

 

Eric Blair walked with one out in the FSW 8^th and Justin Thomas singled behind him to put the tying and go ahead run on base with none other than Victor Figueroa stepping to the plate for the Bucs.  On the first pitch he saw, Figueroa drilled a three run home run out the other way for his third game tying, or go ahead home run in the 8^th inning or later of Citrus Conference play to put the Bucs ahead 7-5. 

 

The Bucs went to the bullpen again in the bottom of the 8^th as Nate Ward and Josiah Velazquez kept the Hawks in check and the Bucs in front 7-5.  

 

The Bucs couldn't get any insurance in the top of the 9th, but they didn't need it as Velazquez mowed through the heart of the Hawks order like a buzzsaw, sitting them down 1-2-3 to close out a 7-5 come from behind win for FSW. 

 

Burch was the story, throwing six scoreless innings, allowing just three hits while striking out six to earn his first win as a Buc.  Velazquez went 1 2/3 perfect frames to close things out to earn his first save with FSW.  The Bucs outhit the Hawks 11-6 in the victory with Figueroa leading the way, going 2-5 with a homer and four RBIs. 

 

The Bucs improve to 15-6 overall and 6-1 in Citrus Conference play where they take over the top spot in the league standings all to themselves.  Hillsborough falls to 14-7 and 5-2 in league play, one game behind FSW for pole position.  

 

The Bucs and Hawks will tangle again on Saturday in Fort Myers with doubleheader action beginning at noon from Buccaneers Park.