Posted: Apr 16, 2024
FORT MYERS, Fla.- The #12 Florida SouthWestern State Buccaneers suffered a disappointing loss Tuesday afternoon at home against TNXL Academy as they were unable to protect a 7-3 sixth inning lead and didn't score for the final five innings in a 10-7 extra innings loss to the Ducks to fall to 31-16 on the year.
Things got off to a good start for the Bucs as Justin Thomas roped an RBI single and Victor Figueroa drove him home in the bottom of the 1st to put the Bucs on the board early and give them a 2-0 lead.
Three walks and an error by the Bucs on the defensive side of the ball in the 2nd allowed TNXL to get a pair of runs to tie it up and a two out RBI double by the Ducks in the 3rd gave them their first lead of the game at 3-2.
The Bucs had a golden opportunity to get the equalizer in the bottom of the 3rd as Thomas drilled a ground rule double to center to start the inning before moving to third on his 30th stolen base of the season, but the Bucs couldn't get him in and he ended the inning stranded 90 feet away as it remained a 3-2 game in favor of the Ducks.
It remained a 3-2 game to the bottom of the 5th when FSW loaded the bases with nobody out to begin the inning. Cooper Clapp drew a walk to force home the tying run and two pitches later Michael McAloose crushed a grand slam out to left to put the Bucs in front 7-3 in the blink of an eye.
TNXL got a run back in the 6th and then another in the 7th after a single, a hit batter, and three wild pitches. Later in the frame a two run home run tied the score before a pair of strikeouts ended the inning with the score 7-7 at stretch time.
The Bucs bullpen kept the game right there, but the vaunted FSW offense couldn't get anything going, going quietly in the 7th, 8th, and 9th to send the Bucs to their third straight extra innings game tied at 7.
TNXL loaded the bases with one out in the 10th before a hit batter forced home the go ahead run to make it 8-7 Ducks. Later in the inning a two run single broke the Bucs back as TNXL padded their lead to 10-7.
The Bucs put a man on in their final at bats in the 10th but three straight pop ups ended the game without the tying run able to come to the plate as FSW was stunned 10-7 by the Ducks.
Thomas reached base four times in the loss, going 2-4 with a pair of walks and two runs scored. All four FSW pitchers gave up multiple runs in the loss. Josiah Velazquez took the loss on the mound, allowing four hits and three runs in 3 1/3 innings pitched to fall to 3-3 on the year.
FSW drops their second straight extra innings contest to fall to 31-16 overall while TNXL earns their first win of the season over an NJCAA program, improving to 1-4 in those games.
The Bucs will look to turn the page on Thursday when they return to Citrus Conference action for a huge three game conference set against Miami Dade across Alligator Alley.