Posted: Feb 23, 2022
NEW PORT RICHEY, Fla.- The #15 Florida SouthWestern State Buccaneers clubbed four home runs and five FSW pitchers allowed just five hits as the Bucs rolled past the Pasco-Hernando State Bobcats 11-2 in the front end of a quick home and home between the two.
The Bucs wasted little time in jumping on the Bobcats as in the top half of the 1st Braden Forchic worked a full count before launching his first home run as a Buc to put FSW in front 1-0. Later in the frame Paxton Tomaini blooped in a double to left to drive home another run and give the Bucs a 2-0 advantage after a half inning of play.
Pasco got a run back in the 2nd with a solo shot of their own, but that was the only hit that FSW starter Frank Elissalt allowed through five innings, keeping it a 2-1 game as the teams quickly flew to the 6th.
After two quick outs in the FSW 6th Tomaini smacked a two run home run of his own to make it 4-1.
Scoreless innings out of the bullpen from Brian Holiday and Riley Skeen kept it a 4-1 game in favor of the Bucs as the teams moved to the 8th.
The Bucs added some insurance in the 8th as the Bobcats walked the bases loaded in front of Kalvin Alexander who fell behind 0-2 in the count before blasting a grand slam deep and out to left to extend the Bucs lead to 8-1. Later in the inning Hunter Fitz-Gerald joined the home run train, lifting a solo shot out down the right field line to make it a 9-1 game.
After Pasco got a lone tally in the 8th, Alexander struck again with the bases loaded in the 9th , ripping a single to left to drive home two more to make it 11-2.
Grant Besser came in to close things out in the 9th, working a quick 1-2-3 inning including a pair of strikeouts to polish off an 11-2 win for FSW.
The Bucs outhit the Bobcats 9-5 in the win led by Alexander who finished 2-3 with 6 RBIs and Tomaini who was 3-4 with 3 RBIs and came just a triple shy of the cycle. Elissalt earned the win on the mound in his best effort as a Buc thus far, going 5 innings and allowing just 1 hit and 1 run while striking out 6.
FSW wins their third straight to improve to 11-8 on the year while Pasco drops to 7-9.
The Bucs and Bobcats will square off again on Friday at City of Palms Park in Downtown Fort Myers before FSW opens up Suncoast Conference play Saturday on the road at Polk State.