TAMPA, FLA.- Down 4-1 early and 6-2 later in the game, the #13 Florida SouthWestern State Buccaneers roared back with eight unanswered runs Friday night against Hillsborough, stunning the Hawks in a 10-6 extra inning victory to put them one step closer to their first appearance in the FCSAA State Tournament in program history.
With the wind blowing out in Tampa, the Bucs and Hawks traded solo home runs early on with the Hawks homering on the first pitch they saw from FSW righthander Ryan Gusto in the first and the Bucs getting a solo blast from Tyler Solomon on the first pitch of the third to even the score at 1-1.
Hillsborough scored three times in the bottom of the third to go ahead 4-1, but the Bucs answered with a run in the top of the fourth to cut the lead back to two at 4-2 after four.
The Hawks scored two more in the sixth to push their lead to 6-2 and that's when the Bucs decided it was time for their comeback.
In the top of the seventh, FSW put a pair on with one out when Shamir Morales picked a good time for his first home run of the year, crushing a three run shot to quickly get the Bucs back to within one at 6-5.
Two straight zeros from Robert Wegielnik out of the FSW bullpen kept the Bucs in it and the Purple and Aqua took advantage in the ninth as Victor Florentino legged out a leadoff triple and Nathan Kinsch drove him in with a sacrifice fly to even the score at six.
Wegielnik worked a 1-2-3 bottom of the ninth for the Bucs and after trailing by four two innings earlier, the Bucs forced extra innings in the series finale.
The Bucs used two walks, a single, and another sac fly to take a 7-6 lead in the top of the tenth and Florentino gave them some breathing room two pitches later as he sent an 0-1 pitch into the night for a three run shot to give FSW a 10-6 lead.
Wegielnik did the rest, keeping the Hawks at bay in the bottom of the tenth to finish it off for the Bucs, giving them a 10-6 win to take the series 2-1.
FSW finished with nine hits with Florentino leading the way with a 2 for 3 night including three runs scored and four RBI's. Wegielnik was lights out out of the Bucs' bullpen, throwing four shutout innings, allowing just one hit to improve to 4-0 on the year. Gusto struck out eight in six innings of work, drawing a no decision.
The Bucs improve to 37-12 overall on the season with the win, but more importantly, push their Suncoast Conference record to 18-9 where they now sit in a tie with State College of Florida with three games to go. The loss is a costly one for the Hawks, who fall to 26-22 overall and 17-10 in conference action, one game out of a playoff spot with one more series to go.
FSW controls their own destiny to a Suncoast Conference Championship and a spot in the FCSAA State Tournament, which would be their first in program history. The Bucs open a three game series with Polk State Saturday afternoon at 1 in Winter Haven before returning home to take on the Eagles Monday night at 6 on Sophomore Night. Hillsborough starts a do or die three game set with State College of Florida Saturday in Bradenton.