FORT MYERS, FLA.- After weather forced them into a doubleheader Saturday at City of Palms Park in Fort Myers, the #15 Florida SouthWestern State Buccaneers took care of both ends of the twinbill against St. Petersburg, getting a complete game shutout from Ryan Gusto in a 5-0 game one win and timely hitting and a big effort in game two from their bullpen in a 5-3 win to finish off the sweep and remain in first place in the Suncoast Conference standings with six games to go.
It was a pitcher's duel early in game one between Bucs ace Ryan Gusto and St. Petersburg right hander Ryan Duncan. Gusto kept the Titans without a baserunner until the third while FSW was held without a hit through the first three innings of play.
Gusto continued his mastery of the St. Pete lineup in the fourth and the Bucs finally got things going on the offensive end as Tommy Joseph picked up an infield hit with one out in the bottom of the fourth and came around to score on a two run shot to right from Connor Bagnieski to put FSW on top 2-0.
The Titans had no answer for Gusto through the middle innings as the Bucs fireballer kept them off balance through stretch time as FSW continued to lead it 2-0.
FSW put a runner in scoring position thanks to a St. Pete error in the seventh, but couldn't bring him home as it remained a 2-0 game to the eighth.
Gusto's defense helped him out in the eighth as a line drive to second turned into an inning ending double play to put the Bucs within three outs of victory.
Tommy Joseph added an insurance run for the Bucs in the bottom of the eighth as he singled through the left side with two outs to bring home Tyler Solomon to make it 3-0 FSW. Later in the inning with the bases loaded, Victor Florentino was hit by a pitch and then Jose Marcano walked to force runs as they stretched their lead to 5-0.
The insurance was appreciated, but not needed as Gusto lost little steam in ninth and worked a 1-2-3 inning to finish off a complete game shutout in a 5-0 victory for the Bucs.
Gusto needed just 102 pitches for the complete game victory as he scattered six hits and struck out 10 without walking a batter to improve to 6-1 on the year. Joseph had two hits and Bagnieski drove in two with the fourth inning bomb to lead the FSW offense in the win.
#15 FSW/ST. PETERSBURG GAME TWO BOX SCORE
The Bucs flashed some leather early in game two, getting a double play to get out of trouble in the first and then Shamir Morales gunned down a runner at second to end the second to keep it a scoreless game through two.
That same defense let the Bucs down in the third though as they miscommunicated on a routine pop up to begin the inning and that runner later scored to give the Titans their first run of the day to take a 1-0 lead.
The Bucs put a dent in the scoreboard in the bottom of the third however as St. Pete threw a ball away on a bunt attempt to get FSW rolling, later on they scored on a sacrifice fly from Warnner Rincones and an RBI single from Tommy Joseph to make it 3-1 after three.
St. Pete got a run back right away in the top of the fourth, homering on the first pitch of the inning to cut the FSW lead back to 3-2. The Titans threatened to do more damage, loading the bases later in the inning, but Joey Mugavero came out of the bullpen and shut things down, getting a weak pop up back to himself to end the inning and keep the Bucs on top 3-2.
The Bucs used some more loose St. Pete defense against the Titans in the bottom of the fifth, getting a run on a passed ball and an error to cushion their lead back to two at 4-2.
The FSW bullpen took it from there as Mugavero and Nate Madej put up four straight zeros from the fifth to the eighth to keep the Bucs in front. FSW added an insurance run on a two out RBI single from Warnner RIncones in the bottom of the seventh to extend the lead to 5-2.
Down to their final out in the ninth, the Titans picked up a solo home run and a double to bring the tying run to the plate, but Thomas Haggerty shut it down from there, inducing a ground ball to short to finish things off and give the Bucs the sweep with a 5-3 victory.
The Bucs were outhit 13-7 in the contest, but used a fantastic effort from their bullpen to earn the win. Mugavero, Madej, and Haggerty combined to go 4 1/3, allowing just one run while striking out six. Mugavero earned the win and Haggerty the save, each working an effective 1 1/3 inning. Rincones was 3 for 3 with two runs driven home for the Bucs to lead of the offense.
#15 FSW/ST. PETERSBURG GAME THREE BOX SCORE
The sweep is the second straight for the Bucs to run their winning streak to six, their third such streak of the season. FSW remains in a first place tie with Hillsborough in the Suncoast Conference standings at 16-8 with six games to go, while improving to 35-11 overall on the year. St. Pete is all but eliminated from postseason contention with the sweep, falling to 17-25 overall and 10-14 in Suncoast Conference action.
The Bucs biggest series of the season begins on Monday when they take on fellow first place Hillsborough in game one of their three game set. The Bucs and Hawks will play the game at the Spring Training home of the New York Yankees, George Steinbrenner Field in Tampa at 6 PM.
