FORT MYERS, Fla.- As they have been each of the past five seasons, the #1 Florida SouthWestern State proved Saturday that they are going to be the team to beat in the Suncoast Conference once again in 2022 as the Bucs rolled to 4-0 and 8-1 wins over State College of Florida and Hillsborough in the inaugural Suncoast Conference Tournament played at City of Palms Park in Fort Myers.  

 

After the morning fog in Southwest Florida burned off, the Bucs and Manatees got underway with FSW jumping out to an early 1-0 advantage on an opposite field, solo home run from Beth Reid in the 2nd. 

 

Bucs backstop Taylor Jensen gunned down a runner trying to steal in the SCF 3^rd to keep FSW in front 1-0 and the Bucs added to their lead in the 4^th on back to back two out RBI doubles from Sterre den Duijn and Laura Vigna to up their lead to 3-0. 

 

FSW starter Baylee Haggard did the rest, shutting the Manatees down with 1-2-3 frames in the 5^th and 6^th while Carolina Figueroa ripped an RBI single in the Buccaneer 5^th to an insurance run as the Purple and Aqua went on to win it 4-0.  

 

Haggard spun a three hit shutout, her third of the season, to improve to 14-1 on the year. Eight different Bucs had hits in the win led by Feline Poot who finished 2-3 with a doubles and Carys Platt who was 2-3 with a triple in the victory. 

 

 

In their second game of the day, the Bucs played as the visiting team on the scoreboard against the Hillsborough Hawks in the final game of the tournament. 

 

The Bucs did the bulk of their damage in the 2^nd as Charlotte Drijvers squeaked an RBI double inside the right field line to put FSW on the board and two batters later Carys Platt lined a single up the middle to drive her home to make it 2-0.  A sacrifice fly off the bat of Sterre den Duijn upped the Bucs lead to 3-0 and a throwing error by the Hawks allowed two more runs to score to make it a 5-0 game.  With two outs in the inning, Poot launched her fifth long ball of the season deep and out to left to give the Bucs a touchdown in the 2^nd and a 7-0 lead in the contest.  

 

FSW starter Samantha Smith just about did it herself in the bottom of the 2nd, getting a strikeout and a pair of comebackers in a quick 1-2-3 frame to keep it a 7-0 game.  

 

Hillsborough broke through in the 3^rd on a bit of a controversial play as the Bucs thought they had the third out of the inning on a check swing, instead the pitch was called a ball and a throw behind the runner at third deflected off her back and into left field to allow the Hawks' first run of the game to score to make it a 7-1 game.  

 

The Bucs got the run back in the 5^th as Jensen sent a shot deep and into the night to left to make it 8-1 and that is how it would finish as Smith finished her night with a clean 5^th before giving the ball over to Belle Sardja who retired all six hitters she faced in the 6^th and 7^th to close it out and give FSW an 8-1 win.  

 

FSW outhit Hillsborough 11-2 in the win with Vigna, Reid, and McKenzie Wittenberg each collecting two hits and Poot and Jensen both homering in the middle of the lineup to do the bulk of the damage. Smith put together one of her best efforts as a Buc in the circle, going five innings and allowing just two hits and one unearned run while tying a career high with six strikeouts to earn the win and improve to 4-0 on the year.  

 

 

With the sweep the Bucs improve to 27-4 on the year and begin Suncoast Conference play at 2-0.  

 

The Bucs will be back in action on Thursday at home at City of Palms Park when they host St. Petersburg in an early battle for first place in the conference beginning at 4 PM.