Posted: Apr 20, 2022
WINTER HAVEN, Fla.- Behind an outstanding effort out of the bullpen from Brian Holiday and clutch late RBI double from Simon Baumer, the #11 Florida SouthWestern State Buccaneers claimed their third consecutive Suncoast Conference Championship Wednesday night on the road in Winter Haven, hanging on for a 2-1 win over the Polk State Eagles to start the celebration and send themselves into the postseason on a high note.
It was a pitcher's dual early on between FSW's Chase Chatman and Polk's Breton Cusic as Cusic worked around Buccaneer singles in the first two innings and Chatman retired the first six hitters he faced through two to keep the game scoreless.
The Bucs cracked the scoreboard first in the 3rd as Paul Winland singled and stole second before Satchell Norman came through with a clutch two out single to drive him home to put FSW in front 1-0.
The lead didn't last long for the Bucs though as Polk answered right back with their first hit and first run of the game in the bottom of the inning as a leadoff walk and one out single brought home the equalizer to knot the score at 1.
Polk had a chance to take the lead in the 4th, putting a pair on after two FSW errors, but Chatman battled out of the jam with two big strikeouts to keep the game tied at 1 as the teams went to the 5th.
FSW put traffic on the bases of their own in the 5th, loading the bases after back to back two out walks, but a pop out ended the threat and kept it a 1-1 game.
After a leadoff walk in the bottom of the 5th, FSW Head Coach Ben Bizier pulled the ace out of his sleeve, going to Brian Holiday out of the bullpen. Holiday answered the bell by striking out all three hitters he faced in the 5th and then went back out in the 6th and struck out four after a dropped third strike allowed a runner to reach to begin the inning to keep the game tied at 1.
The Bucs took the lead in the 7th after Braden Forchic worked a walk to start the inning and advanced into scoring position on FSW's first sacrifice bunt of the season before Simon Baumer came through with an double off the left field wall to bring Forchic home and put the Bucs up 2-1 at stretch time.
Polk got their first hit off of Holiday with a single to right in the 7th, but Holiday's battery mate Satchell Norman picked him up, back picking the runner at first during the next at bat to end the threat and the inning with the Bucs still in front 2-1.
Holiday went back to the mound for his fourth inning of work in the 8th and still had more gas in the tank. After the Eagles put the tying and go ahead runners on base, Holiday punched out Polk slugger Nick Collins on three pitches before dialing up his third strikeout of the inning to get out of the jam and keep the Bucs up 2-1.
The Bucs couldn't add any insurance in the top of the 9th, but it didn't matter as Holiday slammed the door in the bottom of the inning and as the final out settled in the glove of FSW center fielder Kendry Noriega, the celebration began as the Bucs took the game 2-1 and with that, clinched their third straight Suncoast Conference Championship with three games left to go in the conference schedule.
Chatman and Holiday were outstanding on the mound for the Bucs as Chatman went four innings and allowed just two hits and one run while striking out six before giving way to Holiday who went the final five innings in shutout fashion, striking out 12 without walking a single batter to earn the win and improve to 6-1 on the season.
The Bucs finished with seven hits from six different players. Norman was the lone FSW hitter to collect multiple hits, going 2-3 with an RBI in the win.
The win sews up the Bucs third straight Suncoast Conference Championship as they improve to 36-14 overall and 21-4 in conference action while dropping the second place Eagles to 31-17 overall and 16-9 in league play.
As the Suncoast Champs, the Bucs will now host a first round playoff series at City of Palms Park on May 6-7, playing a best two out of three series against the runners-up from the Southern Conference with a trip to the FCSAA State Tournament Final Four on the line.
With the Conference Title in tow, FSW will now have a few tune-up games ahead of the State Tournament, beginning Friday at home at City of Palms Park when they take on St. Petersburg in a 3 PM start.