Posted: Apr 02, 2024
CLEARWATER, Fla.- The #3 Florida SouthWestern State Buccaneers went on the road and made short work of the St. Petersburg Titans on Tuesday, sweeping a Citrus Conference doubleheader by scores of 10-1 and 7-0 to improve to 36-4 on the season.
The Bucs wasted little time jumping on the Titans in game one as Sydney McCray walked to start the game and swiped a base before coming home on an RBI single from Skylar Brennan to put them in front 1-0 right off the bat.
The Bucs added to their lead in the 2nd as Mia Terito knocked in a run with a single and Brennan drove home two more with a single of her own to make it 4-0 FSW.
FSW starter Lea Chevrier worked quick 1-2-3 innings in the 2nd and 3rd for the Bucs to keep St. Pete off the board and the Bucs in front 4-0 at the end of three.
The Titans finally cracked the scoreboard in the 4th with a two out single to get back to within three, but that's all Chevrier would give up as the Bucs remained in front 4-1 at the end of four complete.
The Bucs blew the game open in the 5th as Emily Allegood and Ella Moore ripped back to back RBI singles to stretch the lead to 7-1 before a wild pitch allowed another run to score to make it 8-1.
Allegood was back up with ducks on the pond in the 6th and cashed them in again, smacking a two run double to center to open up a 10-1 lead for the Bucs after 5 1/2.
St. Pete put a pair of runners on as they tried to extend the game in the bottom of the 6th, but FSW reliever Leah Meyer got a pop up to get out of the jam and put the game in the books as the Bucs took game one 10-1 in a six inning run rule.
The Bucs outhit the Titans 9-2 in the contest with Brennan and Allegood each going 2-4 with three RBIs to lead the way. Moore finished 2-3 with a pair of runs scored and two RBIs while McCray was officially 0-1, but reached four times on three walks and an HBP. Chevrier earned the win in the circle, cruising through 4 1/3 innings, allowing just one hit and one run to improve to 17-0 on the year.
It took the Bucs a little bit to get going in game two, but thankfully for them, starter Esmee Ames was up to the task, retiring each of the first six Titan hitters she faced through the first two innings to keep the game scoreless to the 3rd.
The Bucs broke through in the 3rd as D'Yani McKinley laid down a perfectly placed bunt to bring a run home and later in the inning Sietske Drijvers and Virginia Mambelli squared up run scoring hits to quickly make it 4-0 FSW. They weren't done yet as after Allegood kept the rally going with a single to left, Moore continued her big day with an RBI single on the right side to make it a 5-0 game in favor of FSW after 2 1/2.
Ames worked a quick 1-2-3 shutdown inning after the five run frame and then worked her way out of trouble in the 4th to keep the score 5-0 as the teams went to the 5th.
The Bucs added some insurance late as a Titan error allowed one run to score and Mambelli's fourth hit of the game brought home another in the 6th to up the FSW lead to 7-0 after 5 1/2.
Ames did the rest, using her defense with an inning ending double play in the 6th to put up her sixth zero of the night before closing the Titans out on a pair of groundouts and a strikeout in the 7th to secure her shutout in a 7-0 FSW victory.
Ames dialed up her third shutout of the season in the win, allowing just three hits while striking out five to improve to 12-4 on the year. Mambelli paced the offense, going a perfect 4-4 with a pair of doubles and two RBIs while Moore had her second straight multi-hit game, going 2-3 with an RBI for the Bucs.
The Bucs run their win streak to six as they improve to 36-4 overall and 23-3 in Citrus Conference play where they continue to hold a one game lead over Indian River as the schedule hits it's final month. St. Petersburg falls to 13-27 overall and 6-18 in the sweep.
The Bucs are back in action on Thursday at home when they host Seminole State in a conference doubleheader beginning at 2 PM at Buccaneers Park in Fort Myers. Game one of the doubleheader will mark the 500th game in FSW program history.