FORT MYERS, Fla.- The #9 Florida SouthWestern State Buccaneers dropped their third straight game Saturday afternoon at home at City of Palms Park, falling 6-5 late to Hillsborough in game two of their Suncoast Conference series. 

 

There wasn't much going for either side early on as FSW's Alex Ayala struck out five of the first six hitters he faced and Hillsborough's Ruddy Gomez matched him as the game sailed through the 3rd scoreless. 

 

The Bucs cracked the scoreboard first, getting a leadoff double in the 4th from Abimelec Ortiz and a one out RBI single from Yadiel Santana to drive him in to put FSW in front 1-0 after four complete. 

 

The Bucs got themselves into trouble in the 5th, walking a pair and mishandling a bunt play to give the Hawks bases loaded with nobody out. On an 0-2 pitch, the Bucs hit a batter to force home a run and two pitches later a line single to right center plated two more to give Hillsborough a 3-1 lead.  

 

FSW scored without a hit in the bottom of the 5th as Warnner Rincones reached on a fielder's choice, moved to second on a Hillsborough error and then stole third and scored on another Hawk error to get the Bucs back to within one at 3-2. 

 

The Bucs evened the score at 3 in the 6th as Kendry Noreiga ripped an RBI double into the left field corner, but FSW left him stranded at third at inning's end as the game remained tied at 3. 

 

A two run home run for the Hawks in the 7th gave Hillsborough a 5-3 lead back at stretch time. 

 

Things got interesting in the bottom of the 7th.  Kalvin Alexander popped a ball up foul, but the Southwest Florida wind played some tricks on it and blew the ball back into fair territory and the Hawks were unable to make a play on it, allowing Alexander to reach first base. However, after a conference, the umpiring crew ruled that Alexander interfered with Hillsborough first baseman Hunter Fitz-Gerald trying to make a play on the ball which resulted in an out for FSW.  It would come back to sting them as two batters later, Matthew Corpas drilled a home run to left center field on what would have been a game tying shot had Alexander been aboard, instead it went as a solo blast and FSW remained down one, 5-4 at the end of 7. 

 

A crucial two out error by the FSW defense in the 8th cost them a run as Hillsborough pushed their lead back to two at 6-4 and it would prove costly for the Bucs in the end. 

 

With one out in the 8th Ortiz crushed his eighth home run of the year over the wall in right to make it a one run game at 6-5. 

 

On out of the FSW bullpen, Antonio Knowles struck out the side in a scoreless top of the 9th to give the Bucs a chance to tie or win it in their final at bats.  

 

A one out single in the bottom of the 9th  from Rincones gave the Bucs some hope, but he was gunned down trying to steal for the second out of the inning, FSW's third runner caught stealing in the game, and a weak ground ball was handled by the Hawks defense to seal up a 6-5 win to clinch the series victory. 

 

For the second straight game, the Bucs outhit the Hawks but lost. Ortiz and Corpas both had a pair of hits and homered in the loss.  Bucs pitching struck out 16 Hillsborough hitters in the contest, but it was the five free passes to none for the Hawks arms that was the difference. Robert Wegielnik was collared with the loss, allowing three hits and two runs in three innings out of the Bucs bullpen to fall to 2-1 on the year. 

 

FSW loses their third straight to fall to 33-13 overall and 14-6 in Suncoast Conference play where they will be one game up on either Polk State or State College of Florida at night's end.  Hillsborough clinches the series victory and improves to 15-21 overall and 7-13 in league play with the win.  

 

The two teams will have a day off on Sunday before wrapping up the three game set Monday on the road in Tampa.