Posted: Apr 23, 2024
FORT MYERS, Fla.- The Florida SouthWestern State Buccaneers wrapped up their non-conference schedule with a 10-6 win over the visiting State College of Florida Manatees Tuesday afternoon at Buccaneers Park in Fort Myers, getting home runs from Justin Thomas, Evan Kircher, and Cooper Clapp to improve to 33-18 on the year.
Both teams scored in the 1st to get things going as SCF took advantage of an FSW error to push across their run while the Bucs used a leadoff single and stolen base from Justin Thomas to put them in business before Nate Earley returned to the lineup with a sacrifice fly to knot the score at 1 after 1.
Bucs starter Alex Walsh cruised through the 2nd and 3rd innings scoreless to keep it a 1-1 game and the Bucs took their first lead of the game in the bottom of the 3rd as Thomas drilled a solo shot over the left field wall on the first pitch of the inning to put FSW in front 2-1.
The lead didn't last long as a single and three wild pitches allowed the Manatees to tie things up in the top of the 4th and the Bucs went scoreless in the bottom half to keep it a 2-2 game at the end of four.
FSW retook the lead on another Thomas swing, this one a bullet line drive to the wall in center that went for a sac fly to make it 3-2 and later in the inning after three consecutive free passes to load the bases, Evan Kircher lifted a grand slam deep and out to left to extend the Bucs lead to 7-2 at the end of five.
The Bucs couldn't keep their momentum though as SCF put together a two out rally in the 6th , scoring a pair of runs on FSW wild pitches and getting another on a single up the middle to get back to within two at 7-5.
The Bucs got their third home run of the game in the 7th as Cooper Clapp pulled a solo shot out to right to make it an 8-5 game, but SCF quickly got the run back on a double and a sac fly in the 8th to cut it to a two run game once again at 8-6.
FSW got some insurance in the 8th as Victor Figueroa stroked a two run single to right to pad their lead to four at 10-6.
The Manatees made things interesting in the 9th as they put two on and brought the tying run to the on deck circle, but that is as close as they would get as the Bucs closed things out to win it 10-6 in their 2024 non-conference finale.
The Bucs outhit the Manatees 9-6 in the contest with Thomas leading the way going 3-4 with a home run and two RBIs. Jared Davis also recorded a multi-hit game, going 2-4 with a pair of runs scored for FSW. Walsh was sharp on the mound, allowing just one hit and one unearned run in three innings pitched while Ryan Grzesiak picked up the win, going 2 1/3 innings, allowing one hit and one run to improve to 2-0 on the year.
FSW improves to 33-18 overall with the win while SCF falls to 27-24.
Both teams now turn their attention to their final Citrus Conference series of the season as FSW takes on Polk State and SCF battles St. Petersburg. FSW enters the weekend one game behind Indian River for the conference lead while their magic number is one to clinch a home playoff series for the upcoming Region VIII Tournament. SCF's postseason hopes are hanging on by a thread as the Manatees need to sweep the Titans and then will become the biggest Buccaneer fans as they need FSW to also sweep Polk to punch their playoff ticket.
The Bucs begin their series with Polk on Thursday at home at Buccaneers Park where they will celebrate Sophomore Day pregame before their 3 PM first pitch.