LAKELAND, Fla.- The #11 Florida SouthWestern State Buccaneers earned their first postseason win in program history on Wednesday, coming from behind for a 12-7 victory over Indian River in the opening game of the 2021 FCSAA State Tournament.  

 

It was a picture perfect start for the Bucs who scored their first run before they even swung the bat for the first time.  Warnner Rincones was hit by a pitch to begin the game and stole second on the next pitch before advancing to third on an error on the throwdown and scoring on an error trying to get him at third to give the Bucs a 1-0 lead.  Three straight two out walks loaded the bases for the Bucs and the Pioneers third error of the inning cleared the bases and gave FSW a 4-0 lead.  The Bucs still weren't done as one batter later Ronny Medina smoked a double down the left field line to stretch the FSW lead to 5-0 after one inning of action. 

 

Indian River struck back in the 2nd, plating a pair of runs on three hits to cut the Bucs lead to 5-2.  

 

The Pioneers were back at it in the 3rd, leading off the inning with a solo home run to trim the FSW advantage to 5-3.  Later in the inning a wild pitch made it a one run game and a single back up the middle gave Indian River their first lead of the day at 6-5.  

 

The Bucs had a chance to even the score in the bottom of the 3rd, but couldn't take advantage of a leadoff double and left a runner stranded at third to keep it a 6-5 lead after three. 

 

Indian River added a run in the 4th to go up 7-5 and FSW Head Coach Ben Bizier knew it was time to stop the Pioneer momentum and played his wild card, calling on closer Antonio Knowles who stopped the bleeding with a strikeout to avert further damage.  

 

The Bucs used the momentum changer to get their bats going in the bottom of the 4th.  Axel Melendez walked to start the inning and Rincones doubled him to third.  Melendez scored on a wild pitch to get the Bucs back to within one and a groundout by Abimelec Ortiz scored Rincones and evened the score at 7. With two on and one out later in the frame, Matthew Corpas ripped a double just inside the bag at third to clear the bases and give the Bucs a 9-7 lead. 

 

Knowles put the clamps on the Pioneers bats from there, striking out six over the next three innings to keep it a 9-7 game at stretch time.  

 

The Bucs added to their lead in the bottom of the 7th when Medina lifted a sacrifice fly to center to score Carter Cunningham who was hit by a pitch to start the inning, to make it a 10-7 game.  

 

The Bucs went to the bullpen for the third time in the 8th and back to back walks quickly brought the tying run to the plate for Indian River with nobody out in the inning. But FSW southpaw Grant Besser bowed his neck from there, getting a strikeout and then a pair of pop outs to get out of the jam and keep it a 10-7 game in favor of the Bucs.  

 

A single and a pair of hit batters in the Bucs 8th loaded the bases for FSW with two outs and a walk to Medina forced a run home to make it an 11-7 game. Three pitches later Simon Baumer was hit by a pitch, the ninth Buc to be hit in the game, to push home another run to extend their lead to 12-7.  

 

Besser did the rest, setting the Pioneers down 1-2-3 in the 9th to finish off a 12-7 win for the Bucs.  

 

The Bucs finished with just eight hits in the contest, but took advantage of 14 free passes and four Indian River errors in the victory. Knowles and Besser were the story out of the bullpen for the Bucs, combining for 5 1/3 scoreless innings, allowing just one hit while striking out nine to secure the victory.  Knowles earned the win, moving to 2-1 on the year while Besser nailed down his first save of the season.  Corpas led the Bucs offense, finishing 2-3 with a pair of doubles and two RBIs while Medina was 1-3 with three RBIs in the win.  

 

FSW improves to 43-14 on the year with the win, their first postseason victory in program history, while Indian River falls to 22-17-1.  

 

The Bucs advance in the winner's bracket of the tournament where they will take on the winner of the Northwest Florida State vs. Santa Fe game Thursday at 4 PM at Joker Marchant Stadium in Lakeland.