Posted: Mar 10, 2021
FORT MYERS, Fla.- Starter Carlos Rodriguez went five shutout innings and reliever Matt Whitney kept the shutout intact into the 9th Wednesday afternoon at City of Palms Park as the #20 Florida SouthWestern State Buccaneers completed a three game sweep of the visiting Hillsborough Hawks with a 6-2 game three victory to improve to 5-1 in Suncoast Conference play.
The Bucs got the scoring started in the 2nd when Kalvin Alexander lifted a fly ball to center to drive home Noah Heisler from third to give FSW an early 1-0 lead. Later in the inning Warnner Rincones legged out a two out infield single to drive home another run to make it 2-0 after two.
With runners on first and third in the 3rd after Yadiel Santana was hit in the head by a pitch, an errant pick off attempt by the Hawks went down the line and allowed an FSW run to score before pinch runner Marc Davis scored from third on a bullet to left from Heisler to make it 4-0.
FSW starter Carlos Rodriguez was in complete control against the Hillsborough lineup, working quick 4th and 5th innings to keep the Bucs in front 4-0.
FSW added to their lead in the bottom of the 5th when Luis Tuero singled to right center to drive home a run and Alexander scored on a wild pitch in the 6th to give the Bucs a commanding 6-0 lead.
Matt Whitney came on out of the FSW bullpen in the 6th and was lights out for the Bucs, working back to back 1-2-3 innings in the 6th and 7th before blanking the Hawks again in the 8th to keep the shutout intact at 6-0 as the game flew to the 9th.
The Bucs couldn't finish off the shutout in the 9th as Hillsborough pushed a pair of runs across, but Robert Wegielnik came on to work FSW out of a bases loaded jam to earn a save and lock down a 6-2 win to complete the sweep for the Bucs.
FSW outhit Hillsborough 11-5 and played clean defensively while the Hawks committed three defensive fopauxs. Rodriguez improved to 5-1 on the year, going five innings and allowing just two hits, while striking out five for the Bucs. Whitney pitched three nearly perfect innings through the middle before Wegielnik earned his second save of the season with 2/3 innings to close things out. Heisler picked up a pair of hits and an RBI for FSW while Kendry Noriega and Jared Campbell each had two hits and a run scored. The Bucs were active on the bases as usual, stealing six bases while getting caught three times.
The Bucs improve to 21-8 overall and 5-1 in Suncoast Conference play with the sweep while Hillsborough continues to dig their early season hole as they fall to 7-13 overall and 1-5 in conference action.
FSW will look to continue their hot start to the conference season on Friday when they make the trip to Avon Park to open their three game back and forth series with South Florida State.
