FORT MYERS, Fla.- Coming off of a disappointing series loss against Eastern Florida a week ago, the #13 Florida SouthWestern State Buccaneers came out swinging on Thursday in their series opener against Daytona State, getting a three run home run from Jake Mueller in the 1^st to take an early lead and they never looked back, ultimately hammering the Falcons 10-2 in an eight inning run rule to take the lead in the three game set between the two. 

 

Drawing his first career start on the mound, FSW freshman Robert Mitchell make quick work of the Falcons in the top of the 1^st and the Bucs offense staked their righthander out to a quick lead as Jake Mueller launched a three run home run to left in the bottom of the inning to put the Purple and Aqua up 3-0 at the end of one. 

 

Mitchell worked out of trouble in the 2^nd and 3^rd and retired the Falcons in order in the 4^th to keep it a 3-0 game in favor of the Bucs. 

 

Nik Pereira added to the FSW lead in the bottom of the 4^th with a solo shot to left and later in the inning Luke Orfi shot a single the other way to make it 5-0 Bucs at the end of four. 

 

The Bucs hurt themselves in the 5^th as three free passes and an error on the infield allowed Daytona to get on the board and cut the lead to 5-2 midway through the contest. 

 

FSW got a run back in the bottom of the frame as Carlos Sanchez snuck a ball inside the first base bag for an RBI triple to push the lead back to four at 6-2. 

 

After hitting the first man he faced, Josiah Velazquez retired the next eight he faced through the 7^th to keep the Bucs in front 6-2 at stretch time. 

 

The Bucs loaded the bases without swinging in the bat in the bottom of the 7^th as a pair of hit batters and an intentional walk set up Sanchez with ducks on the pond and he took advantage, ripping a double down the left field line to bring home a pair and a sacrifice fly behind that bumped the FSW lead to 9-2 at the end of seven. 

 

More wildness from Daytona pitching set the table for the Bucs in the 8^th as a walk and a hit batter put two on before a bunt single loaded the bases for the second straight inning. With the winning run 90 feet away, Devin Parks ripped a single through the left side to bring home Orfi from third and kick in the run rule with the Bucs winning it 10-2. 

 

Mitchell threw four hitless innings in his first career start to earn the win for FSW while Velazquez came to the rescue out of the bullpen once again, firing four shutout frames, striking out four to notch save number three on the year. 

 

Seven different Bucs had hits in the win, led by Sanchez who was 2-4 with a double, a triple, and three RBIs and Mueller who was 1-2 with a homer and three RBIs. 

 

The Bucs improve to 26-9 overall on the year while moving to 12-7 in Citrus Conference play where they now sit in second place. Daytona falls to 11-19 and 9-10 in league play. 

 

The same two teams will meet at Buccaneers Park on Friday with a doubleheader beginning at noon.