FORT MYERS, FLA.- Connor Bagnieski doubled four times and the Florida SouthWestern State Buccaneers put up an admiral fight in the ninth inning, but it wasn't enough Friday night as they fell 8-6 to Miami Dade for their first loss of the 2019 season.
There was lots of action on the bases in the first inning but the Sharks left a pair and the Bucs left the sacks packed in an entertaining, but scoreless first frame.
Things went south in a hurry for FSW in the second as Miami Dade saw their first six hitters reach base including back to back RBI doubles to take a 4-0 lead on the Bucs.
The Sharks were back at it again in the third as three straight hits chased FSW starter Mitch Myers and back to back walks pushed a run home later in the inning to make it a 6-0 game. Miami Dade wasn't done though as an infield single and a bases loaded hit by pitch resulted in two more runs for the Sharks to blow the game open to 8-0.
The Bucs got on the board for the first time in the fourth when Victor Florentino unloaded on a pitch well over the left field wall for a solo shot to make it 8-1.
Nate Madej kept the Sharks off the board in the middle innings and the Bucs were able to scratch out another run in the seventh on an RBI double from Connor Bagnieski, his fourth of the night, to cut the Dade lead to 8-2.
The Bucs hopes looked bleak as flamethrowing righthander Orlando Ribalta came out of the Miami Dade bullpen to finish things off in the ninth, but FSW wasn't ready to go home quite yet.
After Ralph Morla walked, Tyler Solomon crushed a ball to the deepest part of the stadium and rounded the bases after the ball caromed off the wall for an inside the park home run. However, after a discussion between the umpires, the play was ruled a ground rule double, taking a run off the board and making it just an 8-3 game. Following a walk to Bagnieski, Nathan Kinsch lined a shot up the middle to load the bases and the throw back to the infield got away from the Sharks to allow Solomon to score and make it an 8-4 contest. Things really got interesting after Jose Marcano scalded a ball off the wall in left to score two more to cut the Dade lead to 8-6 while bringing the tying run to the plate with just one out. That is where the rally would end though as a strikeout and a weakly hit ball out in front of the plate would end the threat and the game with the Sharks taking it 8-6.
Each side had 13 hits on the night with Bagnieski putting together a career night with four hits, all doubles for the Bucs. Solomon had two hits and two runs scored at the top of the lineup while Marcano had two hits and two runs driven home for FSW. Myers took the loss on the mound, falling to 2-1 on the year as he allowed seven runs, all earned, on nine hits in just 2 1/3 innings of work. The Bucs bullpen came up big yet again as Madej and Derek Rascher ate up 6 2/3 innings, allowing just four hits and one run to give FSW a chance late.
FSW drops their first game of the year to drop to 11-1 while Miami Dade improves to 8-5.
The Bucs won't have any time to lick their wounds as they are right back at it on Saturday afternoon at City of Palms Park when they host 13-2 Santa Fe in a doubleheader beginning at 1 PM.