FORT MYERS, FLA.- There was some major thievery going on at City of Palms Park in Fort Myers on Friday afternoon as the #8 Florida SouthWestern State Bucccaneers stole a school record 13 bases in route to a 14-4 run rule win over the visiting Hillsborough Hawks to even up their three game series at one game apiece.
The Bucs put steady pressure on the Hawks all afternoon, scoring a first inning run on a two out double steal to take an early 1-0 lead.
They were back at it in the second as Tyler Solomon walked, stole second, and then scored on a double from Shamir Morales to put FSW on top 2-0.
The Bucs extended their lead in the third as Warner Rincones lifted a sacrifice fly to bring home a run and later in the inning Nathan Kinsch doubled to the gap to plate another to make it a 4-0 game.
Hillsborough got on the board for the first time in the fourth with a two run home run to quickly slice the Bucs lead in half at 4-2.
The Bucs put the game away in the bottom of the fourth as Mikey Burke and Connor Bagnieski drove home runs with RBI singles and Rincones drove in his second run of the game with a groundout to make it a 7-2 contest. They weren't done there as with two outs a bases loaded walk forced home their fourth run of the inning and Josh McAllister and Morales smacked back to back RBI singles to blow the lead open to 12-2.
The Hawks hit their second two run home run in as many innings in the top of the fifth to make it a 12-4 game, but the Bucs answered back with two of their own in the bottom of the frame to push the lead back to 10 at 14-4.
Hillsborough tried to extend the game in the seventh as they put a runner on with one out, but they couldn't push anything across and the run rule kicked in with a 14-4 FSW victory in seven.
FSW pounded out 10 hits in the win, getting knocks from seven different players in the contest. Morales led the Bucs with a perfect 3 for 3 afternoon that included a pair of doubles and three RBI's. Bagnieski finished with a pair of hits and three runs scored while Rincones drove home three in the game. FSW stole a school record 13 bases in the victory, getting three each from Bagnieski and Drake Dobyanski, and two each from McAllister, Rincones, and Solomon. Robert Wegielnik earned the win on the mound to improve to 3-0 on the year, going 3 1/3 innings, allowing three hits and two runs.
The Bucs take back over sole possession of first place in the Suncoast Conference standings at 8-3 while improving to 26-6 overall. Hillsborough falls to 16-15 and 7-4 in league play.
The Bucs and the Hawks will wrap up the three game set on Saturday at City of Palms Park in a 1 PM first pitch.