Posted: Mar 03, 2021
FORT MYERS, Fla.- The red hot Florida SouthWestern State Buccaneers won their fourth straight and 10th game in thier last 11 outings Wednesday afternoon, clinching a series win over Polk State with an 8-2 victory at City of Palms Park.
FSW starter Carlos Rodriguez struck out the side in the 1st and pitched around trouble in the 2nd to keep the game scoreless through the first inning and half of action.
The Bucs took the lead with one out in the 2nd when Christian Lucio unloaded on a 2-1 pitch, sending it deep over the right field wall for a solo home run to give FSW a 1-0 advantage early on.
Polk had two runners in scoring position with nobody out in the 3rd, but managed just one run as Axel Melendez gunned out a runner attempting to steal to end the inning to keep it at a 1-1 game after three.
Rodriguez again struck out the side in the 4th for FSW and his offense rewarded him in the bottom half of the frame, getting a two run double to the wall from Abimelec Ortiz and a two out RBI single from Warnner Rincones to highlight a five run frame to give the Bucs a 6-1 lead.
There was nothing going for either side in the 5th and Rodriguez again retired the Eagles in order in the 6th to keep it a 6-1 game in favor of the Bucs.
FSW added their seventh run of the game in the bottom of the 6th, taking advantage of a Polk throwing error to make it a 7-1 game.
A solo home run for the Eagles chased Rodriguez from the game after 6 2/3 innings of work, but the Bucs got the run back for him in the bottom half of the frame on an RBI single from Yadiel Santana to make it 8-2 after seven complete innings of play.
Robert Wegielnik came in to shut it down from there for the Bucs as the sophomore spun the last two innings without allowing a run to finish off an 8-2 win for FSW.
Polk actually outhit FSW on the afternoon, collecting 10 knocks to the Bucs 9. Leading the way for the Bucs was Ortiz and Corpas who had two hits each with Ortiz driving home a pair and Corpas stealing a pair of bases and driving in two runs. Rodriguez earned the win to improve to 4-1 on the year as he pitched into the 7th, allowing seven its and two runs while striking out nine.
The Bucs win their fourth straight to improve to 18-7 overall and 2-0 in Suncoast Conference play while Polk falls to 14-11 overall and 0-2 in league play.
The same two teams will wrap up their series on Friday in Winter Haven with a game scheduled for a 5 PM start from Bing Tyus Field.
