CLEARWATER, Fla.- The #12 Florida SouthWestern State Buccaneers won their sixth straight game Thursday afternoon on the road in Clearwater, pounding out 15 hits in a 14-4 run rule victory over St. Petersburg to close to within one win of their second straight postseason berth.  

 

The Bucs didn't waste any time jumping on the Titans Thursday, getting a leadoff double from Simon Baumer and a sacrifice fly from Matthew Corpas in the top of the 2nd to give themselves an early 1-0 lead.  Later in the inning a St. Pete error allowed another FSW run to score to push the Bucs lead to 2-0 after two.  

 

Another leadoff double, this time from Kendry Noriega in the 3rd, led the Bucs third run of the contest when Ronny Medina drove him in with a sac fly of his own to make it 3-0.  

 

St. Pete got on the board for the first time in the bottom of the 3rd to cut the FSW lead to 3-1, but the Bucs got that run back and then some in their next trips to the plate in the 4th.  

 

After Warnner Rincones legged out an RBI infield single to make it 4-1, Christian Lucio launched his 12th home run of the season, a three run shot, to right field to blow it open to a 7-1 lead for FSW in the 4th.  

 

FSW starter Alejandro Valiente worked through five for FSW, holding a 7-2 lead before turning it over the Bucs bullpen who got some cushion in the 7th when Yadiel Santana was hit with the bases loaded to force home a run and Lucio ripped an RBI single to right to make it an 11-2 game at stretch time.  

 

Rincones and Luis Tuero picked up RBI singles in the 8th to make it a 14-2 game and St. Pete could push across just two in the bottom of the inning, leaving the bases loaded to bring the game to a close via the 10 run rule with the Bucs winning it 14-4.  

 

The Bucs outhit the Titans 15-10 in the win with Lucio leading the way with a 3-6 ballgame with a double, a homer, and four RBIs. Medina had three hits and scored three times and Rincones was one of four Bucs to record two hits in the contest.  Valiente improved to 4-0 on the year with the win. He went five innings, scattering six hits and two runs in his start.  

 

FSW wins their sixth straight to improve to 39-13 overall and 20-6 in Suncoast Conference play.  The Bucs magic number for a postseason berth is now just one, while they maintain a three game cushion atop the league standings in the race for the conference crown.  St. Petersburg falls to 21-22 overall and 9-17 in conference action. 

 

The Bucs and Titans will wrap up their quick three game set tomorrow back in Clearwater in a 1 PM first pitch.