LONGWOOD, FLA.- It was a workman's like effort for the #1 Florida SouthWestern State Buccaneers in the opening round of the 2019 FCSAA/Region VI Tournament on Thursday as the Bucs put together a four run first inning and played a clean game on the defensive side of the ball to come away with a 6-1 win over #19 Seminole State to move onto the winner's bracket semifinal Friday.
FSW starter Kelsi Collins got things off to a good start for the Bucs as she worked a quick 1-2-3 top half of the first to give the Bucs a chance to take an early lead.
They did just that, getting an RBI single from Madison Johnson and a sacrifice fly from Natavia Ellis to take a quick 2-0 lead. After a single from Paris Woods got the Bucs going again, Owen Bowers crushed a 2-2 pitch out to center field for a two run shot to double the Bucs lead to 4-0.
A solo home run for the Raiders got Seminole a run back in the second, but FSW answered with a run of their own in the third on a single from Pallas Potter to push their lead back to four at 5-1 after three.
The Bucs added another run in the fourth after loading the bases with two outs and getting a beanball off of the leg of Potter to force home a run to make it a 6-1 game.
Seminole had their last chance in the sixth, putting two on with two out, but Collins came up big with her eighth strikeout of the day to shut down the rally and keep the Bucs ahead 6-1.
That is the way it would end as Collins picked up another strikeout to finish things off in the seventh, giving the Bucs a 6-1 win to move onto the semifinal round of the winner's bracket.
The Bucs dominated all facets of the game, outhitting Seminole 12-3 while putting 16 runners on in six offensive innings. Both sides played errorless in the contest. Collins improved to a perfect 25-0 on the year, going the distance and allowing just three hits and one run on the third inning home run while striking out nine. Eight of nine FSW starters had a hit in the win, led by Bowers and Potter who each had two and two RBI's.
FSW moves to 53-1 on the year with the victory while Seminole State falls to 45-16.
Next up for the Bucs is a semifinal battle against the winner of the Indian River/Gulf Coast State game. That contest will be played Friday at 7 PM.
