Posted: Feb 15, 2024
FORT MYERS, Fla.- The #1 Florida SouthWestern State Buccaneers had their biggest test of the early season Thursday afternoon at Buccaneers Park in Fort Myers as they took on the 7-1 College of Southern Idaho Golden Eagles to open play at the 2024 Paradise Cove Tournament. They passed that test with flying colors as they hammered the Golden Eagles 10-2 in a five inning run rule in the first game of the doubleheader before shutting out the powerful CSI lineup in game two for a 9-0 run rule win to sweep the twinbill and improve to 10-0 on the year.
The Bucs wasted little time in jumping on the Golden Eagles in the 1st as they used their speed to set the table and RBI knocks from Sietske Drijvers and Nicole Edmiaston to take an early 3-0 lead after one.
FSW was back at it in the second as Kmari Williams doubled with one out and D'Yani McKinley drilled a triple to the wall in center to drive her home and make it 4-0 Buccaneers.
CSI got on the board for the first time with a solo home run to lead off the top of the 3rd but Emily Allegood and the Bucs answered right back with a leadoff dinger of their own as Allegood crushed a ball deep and out into the water beyond the left field fence to lead off the FSW 3rd to make it a 5-1 game.
Allegood was back at it one inning later as FSW loaded the bases with two outs before she stepped to the plate and split the gap in left center to clear the bases and up the Bucs lead to 8-2. A pair of walks loaded the bases for the second time in the inning and Katey McGee walked to force home a run to give FSW a 9-2 at the end of four innings of action.
After two quick outs in the FSW 5th, Sydney McCray beat out an infield single before stealing second and moving to third on a throwing error. Pinch hitter Virginia Mambelli then lined a single to center field to drive McCray home and subsequently end the game as FSW took game one in a five inning run rule 10-2.
The Bucs outhit CSI 11-3 in the win as Allegood led the way going 2-3 with a double, a homer, and four RBIs while McKinley and Williams finished with two hits apiece.
Lea Chevrier earned her fifth win of the season in the circle with 3 1/3 innings of two hit ball with five strikeouts while Leah Meyer picked up her first save as a Buc with 1 2/3 innings of shutout Softball to close things out.
CSI showed some life to start game two as they got a leadoff double off the center field wall to begin the ballgame, but Bucs starter Esmee Ames punched out the next two hitters and left the runner stranded after a pop out to give the Bucs a chance to take the early lead in the bottom of the 1st.
McCray began the Bucs half of the 1st with a bullet double the other way and scored on a CSI error to put FSW up right away 1-0. Later in the inning a successful bunt from Edmiaston plated another run and after a Golden Eagle error allowed the inning to continue Maddy Golka singled to right center to drive home a run and make it 3-0 FSW after one.
Ames punched out the side in the top of the 2nd to get the Bucs right back to the plate and FSW took full advantage in the bottom half of the frame.
Two more CSI errors set the table for FSW and a bases loaded walk to McKinley forced a run home for the Bucs. Later on a sacrifice fly from Allegood plated another run and Skylar Brennan ripped a single to right field to bring home a run to make it 6-0 FSW. The Bucs weren't done yet as a Mambelli RBI groundout and another Golden Eagle error allowed three more runs to cross to open the lead up to 9-0 at the end of two innings of play.
CSI had their best scoring chance of the game in the 4th when they put two runners in scoring position with two outs, but Ames dialed up her eighth and final strikeout of the game to end the threat and keep the Bucs in front 9-0.
For the second straight game Meyer was called in to close things out and for the second straight game she got the job done, working around a two out walk in the 5th to finish things off and preserve the shutout as FSW went on to take it 9-0 in their third straight five inning run rule.
Bucs pitching allowed just three hits in the game as Ames fired four shutout frames with eight strikeouts before giving way to Meyer who pitched a scoreless fifth. Golka was the lone Buc to record a multiple hit game as she finished 2-3 with an RBI while McCray was officially 1-1 with two runs scored.
The Bucs improve to 10-0 on the year with the sweep and CSI falls to 7-3 after the battle of National Tournament foes from 2024.
FSW will continue a challenging weekend on Friday when they take on Region VIII rival Chipola and #3 Wallace State at 12 & 2:30 at Lee Health Sports Complex to wrap up the 2024 Paradise Cove Tournament.