Posted: Mar 05, 2022
FORT MYERS, Fla.- Magnus Ellerts and Brian Holiday blanked the St Petersburg Titans 7-0 on Saturday, giving the #18 Florida SouthWestern State Buccaneers their second straight shutout victory while clinching their first Suncoast Conference series win of the early season.
Ellerts was locked in early and often on the mound for the Bucs Saturday, blowing the Titans away in the 1st with a stiff fastball, striking out the side and picking up another in the 2nd through two scoreless innings to begin the contest.
After two quick outs in the FSW 2nd, Satchell Norman got the Bucs going with a double and came around to score the game's first run on an RBI single from Ronny Medina to put FSW on top 1-0. After stealing second and advancing to third on a throwing error, Medina came around to score on a wild pitch to extend the Bucs lead to 2-0.
The Bucs flashed some leather to hold their lead in the 3rd as Kendry Noriega gunned down a runner at third and late in the inning with the bases loaded, FSW spun a 4-6-3 double play to end the threat and the inning to keep it a 2-0 game.
The Bucs began the 3rd with three straight hits including a leadoff double from Hunter Fitz-Gerald and an RBI single from Simon Baumer to up their lead to 3-0.
Ellerts retired six straight in the 4th and 5th and the Bucs padded their starter's lead with a two run double from Yadiel Santana to make it 5-0 before Santana scored himself on a passed ball to give FSW a 6-0 advantage after five.
Ellerts finished his stellar outing with another 1-2-3 frame in the 6th to keep it a 6-0 game before handing the ball to Brian Holiday who worked three scoreless innings to close things out as the Bucs went on to win 7-0.
Ellerts improved to 3-0 on the year with six shutout innings, allowing just two hits while striking out nine. Holiday picked up his first career save, throwing three scoreless to close things out, striking out six in the process. FSW pitchers have now hurled 23 consecutive scoreless innings dating back to the second inning of Wednesday's game with Polk State.
The Bucs banged out 16 hits in the win with Fitz-Gerald, Norman, Santana, and Jose Izarra each notching three hit games. Santana finished with three doubles and three RBIs while Fitz-Gerald had a double and scored twice.
FSW improves to 14-11 overall and 3-2 in Suncoast Conference play with the victory while St. Petersburg falls to 8-12 overall and 1-4 in league play.
The same two teams will hook up Monday in Clearwater in the series finale before the Bucs come home to begin a five game home stand beginning Wednesday against Hillsborough.