FORT MYERS, FLA.- It was a battle right out of a Disney book Monday afternoon as the Iowa Western Reivers came to town to take on the #1 Florida SouthWestern State Buccaneers in non-conference action. The Bucs plundered the river pirates in game one of the doubleheader 16-0 before taking the booty again in game two 7-2 to sweep the twinbill and hang the Jolly Roger at City of Palms Park until their next meeting.
Game one was never a contest. The Bucs got on the board in the first on a bases loaded hit by pitch and pushed their lead to 3-0 on a two run double from Paris Woods. FSW reloaded the bases before Haley Ellefson drew a free pass to force home another run and make it a 4-0 game. Alison Yawn drove home a run with an infield single to make it a 5-0 contest and another bases loaded walk stretched the lead to 6-0 and meant that the Bucs had batted around in the first without a single out being recorded. Rebeca Laudino notched her second hit of the inning on a two run single up the middle and Madison Johnson drove home two herself on a double to the gap to make it a 9-0 game. Iowa Western finally recorded their first out, but it didn't slow the Bucs down as Natavia Ellis picked up her second RBI of the inning on a groundout and Woods smacked her second run scoring hit of the inning to put FSW in front 11-0 after just one inning of play.
The Bucs continued to pour it on in the second as Alyssa LoSauro and Laudino drove home runs to push the lead to 13-0.
Kelsi Collins worked her third straight scoreless inning in the third, also striking out the side for the third straight frame to keep the Bucs out in front 13-0.
Ciara Ford and Ellefson picked up RBI's in the third to make it a 15-0 game and FSW added another in the fourth for style on a single from Owen Bowers to finish the Reivers off 16-0 in a five inning run rule.
It was a stat boosting game for the Bucs who pounded out 13 hits in their four offensive innings. Laudino again shined atop the FSW order, finishing 3 for 4 with three runs scored and three RBI's. Woods was 2 for 2 with three RBI's and Ellis and Ellefson each drove home two for the Purple and Aqua. Collins improved to 16-0 on the year, going three innings, recording all nine outs via strikeout for FSW. Ellefson spun two scoreless, allowing just one hit to finish things off for the Bucs.
#1 FSW/IOWA WESTERN GAME ONE BOX SCORE
Tired of being bullied, the Reivers jumped in front early in game two, scoring in the first to take a 1-0 lead on FSW.
The Bucs answered as Laudino walked and stole second before scoring on a double from Bowers to knot the score at 1.
A solo home run for Iowa Western gave the Reivers the lead back at 2-1 in the second and they held that lead to the fourth when a bunt single from Ellefson pushed home a run and evened the score back up at 2.
The Bucs took their first lead of the game in the fifth when Elsie Rivera bunted home a run to make it 3-2 and Ellefson continued her big day with an RBI double to pad the lead to 4-2.
Sarah Lawton worked her third straight 1-2-3 inning for the Bucs in the sixth and another Bowers double in the bottom of the inning scored two to stretched the FSW lead to 6-2. Later in the frame Woods smacked her second double of the day to score Bowers and make it a 7-2 game.
Lawton blew through the Reiver lineup again in the seventh to finish things off in a 7-2 FSW win, retiring the final 13 batters she faced in the contest.
The Bucs outhit the Reivers 13-3 with Woods and Kayla Domon picking up three hits each and Bowers and Ellefson combining for five RBI's. Lawton improved to 6-1 on the year, tossing a complete game, with striking out a career high 11.
#1 FSW/IOWA WESTERN GAME TWO BOX SCORE
The Bucs move to 36-1 on the year with the sweep while Iowa Western falls to 7-7.
FSW will be back in action on Wednesday at City of Palms Park in Fort Myers when they host Polk State in a Suncoast Conference doubleheader beginning at 5 PM.