FORT MYERS, FLA.- Playing in her first Suncoast Conference games of her career on Tuesday, Florida SouthWestern State freshman Owen Bowers looked like a grizzled veteran, registering a pair of home runs and 10 total bases for the Bucs in a 9-0 game one win over St. Petersburg, before watching as her teammates got it done in a 8-1 win in game two to sweep the doubleheader from the Titans and improve to 33-0 on the year.
The Bucs showed why they were ranked the #1 team in the country for the second straight week right off the bat, getting back to back home runs from Owen Bowers and Natavia Ellis and then another long ball two batters later from Pallas Potter to give themselves an early 4-0 lead.
They were back at it in the second, but this time instead of the long ball, they were doing it with doubles. Madison Johnson and Bowers ripped back to back RBI doubles to make it a 6-0 game and Paris Woods picked up a two bagger of her own to bring home Bowers and make it a 7-0 contest.
Rebeca Laudino drove home the Bucs eighth run of the game in the third to push the lead to 8-0 and Bowers led off with her second home run of the game in the FSW fourth to extend the lead to 9-0.
That was more than enough for Bucs ace Kelsi Collins who mowed through the St. Pete bats with ease, wrapping up her fourth shutout of the year with a 1-2-3 fifth to kick in the run rule in a 9-0 FSW victory.
FSW banged out 11 hits to just two for St. Pete in the contest. Bowers finished a monster game 3 for 3 with two home runs, a double, four RBI's, and three runs scored. Laudino set the table at the top, reaching in all three of her plate appearances with two hits and a walk. Collins improved to 15-0 on the year with the shutout win. She allowed just two hits and struck out five in the process.
#1 FSW/ST. PETERSBURG GAME ONE BOX SCORE
It didn't take long for the Bucs to get going in game two either. FSW loaded the bases in the first without the benefit of a hit and then started their assault. Ellis drove home their first run with a bloop single up the middle and Woods walked to force a run home to make it a 2-0 game. Potter ripped a line drive to the gap to score two more and Haley Ellefson singled up the middle to bring home one more to make it a 5-0 contest. With two outs, Laudino reached for the second time in the inning, driving a double over the head of the left fielder to bring home two to push the Bucs lead to 7-0 after one.
Ellefson helped herself again in the second with an RBI single to left to make it an 8-0 game and the freshman did the rest in the circle, pitching into the seventh, allowing just a single run to give the Bucs an 8-1 win to sweep the doubleheader.
The Bucs finished with nine hits in the win, getting two hit games from Laudino, Ellefson, Ellis, and Woods. Laudino and Ellefson each drove home two, while Ellis scored twice in the victory. Ellefson earned her 10th win of the season in the circle, going 6 1/3 innings, allowing five hits and one run on 76 pitches. Sarah Lawton finished the game out of the Bucs bullpen, retiring both batters she faced.
#1 FSW/ST. PETERSBURG GAME TWO BOX SCORE
FSW improves to 33-0 overall and opens Suncoast Conference play at 2-0 with the wins. St. Petersburg falls to 18-13 overall and 0-2 in league play.
The Bucs will look to continue their winning ways on Thursday when they make the trip to Hillsborough to take on the Hawks in another conference doubleheader beginning at 5 PM.