Kylee Graham (Photo by Roy Allen)
Posted: Apr 11, 2022
WINTER HAVEN, Fla.- Florida SouthWestern hurlers Baylee Haggard and Kylee Graham posted back to back shutouts for the 3rd ranked Buccaneers Monday night in Winter Haven, leading FSW over the Polk State Eagles 10-0 and 8-0 to keep the Purple and Aqua undefeated in Suncoast Conference play at 12-0.
The Bucs wasted no time in jumping on the Eagles in game one of the doubleheader as Feline Poot doubled home a run in the top half of the 1st inning and then scored herself on an RBI single from Charlotte Drijvers to give FSW a quick 2-0 lead.
The Bucs added to their lead in the 2nd when Poot drove home another run on a sacrifice fly to right make it a 3-0 game.
FSW starter Baylee Haggard was locked in from the start, punching out the side in the 2nd and facing the minimum thanks to a double play ball in the 3rd to keep it a 3-0 game.
The Bucs blew the game open in the 4th as Sterre den Duijn led off the frame with a solo shot the other way to make it 4-0 and later in the frame Poot delivered her third RBI of the game with a double to center and then scored on a two run home run from Caroline Figueroa to make it 7-0.
Haggard kept the Eagles in check through six and Pallas Potter blasted a three run home run in the 7th for some insurance before Haggard closed Polk out in the bottom half to give the Bucs a 10-0 win in the opener.
The Bucs banged out 14 hits in the win as Poot and Potter each had two hits and three RBIs while Laura Vigna was 3-4 with three runs scored at the top of the FSW order. Haggard went the distance in her second straight shutout, scattering six hits while striking out six to improve to 18-1 on the year.
In game two of the twinbill it was more of the same as Shanita Tucker ripped an RBI double two batters into the contest and scored on a double from McKenzie Wittenberg to give the Bucs a quick 2-0 lead. Later in the frame Charlotte Drijvers drove home a runner from third with a groundout to up the Bucs lead to 3-0 after one.
The Bucs used some small ball to add to their lead in the 3rd as Drijvers bunted home a run to make it 4-0 before Potter and den Duijn were plunked by pitches with the bases loaded to extend the lead to 6-0.
FSW starter Kylee Graham did the rest, keeping the Eagles off balance spinning it in from the left side, keeping it a 6-0 game through four before Vigna doubled home two in the 5th to make it 8-0.
Graham gave up a one out double in the 5th, but erased the baserunner on a double play to end the inning and the game with the Bucs taking an 8-0 run rule victory to sweep the doubleheader.
Graham posted the Bucs third consecutive shutout, going the distance and spacing out six hits to improve to 5-0 on the year in the circle. The Bucs offense mustered eight hits led by Vigna and Tucker at the top of the order who combined for four hits, three runs scored and three RBIs in the win.
FSW extends their win streak to 14 games as they improve to 37-4 overall and 12-0 in Suncoast Conference play where they now hold a five game lead and the tiebreaker over second place St. Petersburg. Polk State's struggles continue as they fall to 13-21 overall and 4-7 in league action.
The Bucs are back in action on Thursday on the road in Clearwater when they take on the aforementioned St. Petersburg Titans in a doubleheader beginning at 5 PM.