PANAMA CITY BEACH, Fla.- The weather wasn't the only thing that was cold in Panama City on Saturday as the Florida SouthWestern State Buccaneers bats went ice cold in the Perfect Game Juco Classic with FSW avoiding a game one shutout with a two out hit in their final at bats in a 4-2 loss to #14 Florence-Darlington Tech before being no-hit in their second game of the day in a 7-0 loss to Meridian.  

 

In their first game of the day, it was Marty Gair that was the show for the Bucs as the big righthander flashed a mid-90s fastball while mowing through the Florence-Darlington order to keep it a scoreless game through three innings of action. 

 

The Stingers finaly got to the Bucs ace in the 4^th with a one out RBI single through the hole to break the scoreless tie and give Flo-Dar a 1-0 lead.  

 

The Bucs couldn't get anything going offensively and the Stingers added to their lead on three hits and a walk in the 6^th to make it a 4-0 game. 

 

FSW finally put something together in the 7^th and final inning, putting two on with two outs before Albert Serrano made sure they weren't shutout as he laced a double down the right field line to score a pair, but a pop out on the infield ended the threat and the game as the Bucs fell 4-2 to end their hopes of defending their tournament crown from 2022.  

 

Anthony Westbrook was the lone FSW hitter to notch a multi-hit game, going 2-3 while Serrano drove in the Bucs only runs of the game and had their only extra base hit with his 7^th inning double. 

 

Gair was the tough luck loser, falling to 0-1 on the year, going 3 1/3 innings and allowing just two hits and one run while striking out four. 

 

 

The Bucs second game of the day didn't get off to quite the start they were looking for either as Meridian out of Mississippi plated a 1^st inning run on a pair of hits to take an early 1-0 lead. 

 

Michael McAloose walked for the Bucs with two outs in the 2^nd and little would the Bucs know at the time, but it would be the only baserunner they would have in the game.  

 

The Eagles got into the Bucs bullpen in the 5^th and it provided very little relief for FSW. Meridian pushed across four more runs on just two hits, turning a one run game into a 5-0 contest in the blink of an eye. 

 

FSW never threatened as their final 16 hitters were retired in order and Meridian tacked on two more in the 7^th to finish off not only a 7-0 win, but a no-hitter from starter Cole Boswell in the process.  

 

Tyler Kennedy took the loss on the mound for the Bucs, pitching into the 5^th and allowing five hits and three runs to fall to 1-1 on the year.