Posted: Apr 12, 2024
FORT MYERS, Fla.- Three Florida SouthWestern pitchers shut down the top offense in the state on Thursday at Buccaneers Park in Fort Myers as Lea Chevrier, Esmee Ames, and Leah Meyer combined to allow just two runs on the afternoon as the 4th ranked Bucs swept the 8th ranked Central Florida Patriots by scores of 8-1 and 4-1 to take over the top spot in the Citrus Conference standings with 10 games left to go.
The Bucs jumped on the Patriots right away in the 1st inning of game one, loading the bases on three straight one out walks before plating a pair on an error and another later in the inning of a sacrifice fly to give FSW a 3-0 lead after one.
Bucs starter Lea Chevrier got some help from her battery mate in the 3rd as Sietske Drijvers gunned down a would-be base stealer at third ahead of a two out single to keep the Patriots off the board and keep the Bucs in front 3-0.
Central Florida finally broke through in the 5th as they got a two out RBI double to crack the scoreboard for the first time, but the Bucs answered and then some in the bottom half of the inning as they scored five times, highlighted by a two run single up the middle from Virginia Mambelli to stretch their lead to 8-1.
Chevrier did the rest from there, sitting down the Patriots in order in the 6th with a pair of strikeouts before closing things out in the 7th for her eighth complete game of the year as FSW took the opener by a convincing count of 8-1.
Chevrier improved to 20-0 on the season in the circle, going the distance and scattering six hits while allowing just one run and striking out four. Maddy Golka was the lone Buc to finish with multiple hits, going 2-2 with a walk in the win while Skylar Brennan was officially 0-1 but walked twice and scored both times in the victory.
Bucs game two starter Esmee Ames picked up where Chevrier left off early in the game, retiring the first six hitters she faced through the first two innings to allow the Bucs to take an early lead with a pair in the 2nd to go ahead 2-0.
Ames continued her domination of the Patriot lineup through four, but the Bucs offense couldn't muster any further support as it remained a 2-0 game as the game flew to the 5th.
After two quick outs to begin the 5th, the Patriots mounted a two out rally to finally put on the board against Ames, cutting the Bucs lead in half to 2-1 after 4 1/2.
The Bucs followed suit in their half of the 5th, getting a two out double from Brennan to keep the inning alive before she scored on a Central Florida error to get the run back for FSW to make it a 3-1 game.
Central Florida put the tying run on in the 6th with no outs when the Bucs were forced to go to the bullpen for the first time on the day. Bucs reliever Leah Meyer came in and provided exactly that, punching out a pair to close out the inning and keep the Patriots off the board and the Bucs in front 3-1.
FSW added an insurance run in the 6th as Sydney McCray ripped a one out triple to the gap and scored on a sac fly from Mambelli, but the Bucs wouldn't need it as Meyer cruised through the Patriot order like a buzz saw in the 7th to close things out and give FSW a 4-1 win to complete the sweep.
Six different Bucs combined for FSW's seven hits in the contest with McCray the lone Buc with a multi-hit game, going 2-3 with her 6th inning triple and run scored. Ames earned the win in the circle, improving to 15-4 on the year, going five innings and scattering four hits and allowing just one run before handing the ball to Meyer who picked up her third save of the season with two perfect innings to close things out.
The Bucs earn their sixth and seventh wins over Top 10 opponents this season as they improve to 43-5 overall and 30-4 in Citrus Conference play where they take over sole possession of first place in the standings with 10 games left to go. Central Florida sees their hopes for a league title take a big blow as they fall to 34-14 overall and 25-7 in conference action where they now sit four games back in the league standings.
The Bucs won't have much time to celebrate as they are right back at it on Saturday at Buccaneers Park when another Top 25 opponent comes to town when they take on #14 Santa Fe in a noon doubleheader in Fort Myers.