OCALA, FLA.- Florida SouthWestern State started strong, but couldn't finish Saturday afternoon on the road at Central Florida, holding a 4-1 lead at stretch time before seeing things crumble late and ultimately getting walked off on a solo home run in the bottom of the ninth to fall 7-6 and drop to 14-3 on the year.
The Bucs got on the board first as Shamir Morales and Tyler Solomon each ripped RBI singles in the second inning to give FSW an early 2-0 lead.
FSW went about things on the mound a little bit differently Saturday, starting relief ace Ryan Gusto who was electric through five innings, keeping the Bucs in front 2-0.
Drake Dobyanski extended the Bucs lead to 3-0 with a solo shot to leadoff the sixth, but Central Florida finally got to Gusto the same way in the bottom of the inning with a leadoff long ball of their own to make it a 3-1 game.
The Bucs got the run back in the top of the seventh on an RBI groundout by Jose Marcano and all looked like it was coming to plan as FSW held a 4-1 lead at stretch time.
But just at the time where Gusto would normally enter the game, he exited and things went down hill on the mound from there for FSW. A hit batter, a single, and a three run home run by the Patriots quickly tied the game at four. After another hit batter, Central Florida's second bomb of the inning made it a 6-4 game in the blink of an eye.
The Bucs battled back, scoring two in the top of the eighth to tie the game at six as Connor Bagnieski singled to right to plate a pair.
It remained a 6-6 game as the game went to the bottom of the ninth, but it didn't stay that way for long as the Patriots hit a walk off home run to begin the inning, sending the Bucs to a 7-6 defeat.
Solomon and Morales led a nine hit attack for the Bucs with two hits and an RBI each while Bagnieski drove in a pair with his eighth inning single. Gusto went six innings in his first start of the season, allowing just four hits and one run while striking out nine. Thomas Haggerty suffered the loss for FSW, allowing two hits and a run in one plus inning pitched to fall to 1-1 on the year.
The Bucs fall to 14-3 on the year with the defeat while Central Florida wins their 17th straight to improve to 17-1.
FSW is back in action on Tuesday when they host Miami Dade at City of Palms Park in Fort Myers. The Bucs and Sharks are set for a 4 PM first pitch.