MIAMI, FLA.- The Florida SouthWestern State Buccaneers scored three much needed insurance runs in the ninth and then held on for dear life in the bottom half of the inning Thursday afternoon in Miami, stranding the tying run at second base to end the game, giving them a 9-8 win to improve to 11-0 on the year.
FSW got off to a picture perfect start as their first four hitters reached in the bottom half of the first, netting them a pair of runs to take an early 2-0 lead on the Sharks.
Miami Dade struck back in the bottom half of the frame though, using a hit batter and a single to set the table for a three run home run, quickly giving the Sharks their first lead of the afternoon at 3-2.
Back to back two out doubles from Josh McCallister and Tyler Solomon in the second leveled the score at three apiece and a scoreless third sent the game to the fourth still knotted at three.
The Bucs got things back going again in the fourth as they loaded the bases with nobody out and plated a run on a walk to retake the lead at 4-3. Later in the inning an RBI groundout from Nate Kinsch pushed another run home to extend the FSW lead to 5-3.
Miami Dade loaded the bases themselves in the bottom of the fourth, but Buc starter Rafael Santos worked out of the jam to close out his day and keep the Bucs in front 5-3.
A misplayed ball in the outfield cost the Bucs a run in the fifth to shrink their lead to 5-4, but FSW got the run back in the seventh on a double steal to push their lead back to two at 6-4 at stretch time.
Another FSW error in the outfield led to a run for Miami Dade in the eighth, but the Bucs still held a 6-5 advantage as the two teams headed to the ninth.
The Bucs tacked on three insurance runs in the top of the ninth, getting a two run single from Drake Dobyanski and a two out RBI double from McCallister to what looked like put the game away as they extended their lead to 9-5.
Miami Dade wasn't ready to go down without a fight though as the Sharks picked up three straight singles to score a pair of runs and then made it a one run game on another single back up the middle. The Sharks sixth hit of the inning put the tying run at second and winning run at first with two outs. The next batter hit a fly ball, which normally would have been a routine play, but with the Bucs outfield play Thursday, the FSW faithful held their collective breath until the ball found its way into the glove of Victor Florentino to end the threat and give the Bucs a 9-8 victory.
The teams had 12 hits a side while a usually reliable FSW defense committed four errors on the afternoon, leading to a pair of unearned runs for the Sharks. McCallister led the offense with three hits in the win while Kinsch, Solomon, and Dobyanski each had a pair of RBI's. Ryan Gusto earned the win on the mound, going four big innings through the middle to keep the Bucs in it, he allowed two runs, both unearned to move to 2-0 on the year. Mason Adams came into a pickle in the ninth to earn his first save for FSW.
The Bucs remain unbeaten at 11-0 on the year while Miami Dade falls to 7-5.
The same two teams will hook up tomorrow at the Historic City of Palms Park in Fort Myers with first pitch scheduled for 4 PM.