COLUMBUS, Ga.- The #1 Florida SouthWestern State Buccaneers got solid pitching and good defense Saturday morning at the NFCA Classic in Columbus, Georgia, defeating D2 #3 Louisburg 3-2 on a walk off from Rebeca Laudino before scoring three runs late to defeat Gordon State 5-2 to wrap up their weekend in the Peach State 4-1. 

 

The Bucs got off to a good start in their first game of the day against D2 #3 Louisburg College as Shanika Klett doubled home a pair in the bottom of the 1st inning to quickly give FSW a 2-0 lead.  

 

The Bucs offense went cold from there, but ace Alyssa O'Donnell kept them in front, allowing just a lone tally in the 4th to keep FSW top 2-1 after five complete innings of play. 

 

The Bucs lone defensive miscue of the day cost them dearly in the 6th as a single and two base error in the outfield allowed the Hurricanes to even up the score at 2.  

 

The Hurricanes loaded the bases in the 7th, but O'Donnell worked her way out of the jam, inducing a pop up on the infield to end the threat and keep the game tied at 2. 

 

For the second time this season against Louisburg, the Bucs were set up for some drama in the bottom of the 7th.  Sterre Den Duijn was hit by a pitch to start the inning and Janessa Plummer picked up a bunt single to put two on with nobody out in the inning.  A line drive off the bat of Feline Poot looked like it would end the game, but did something very different, landing in the glove of a Hurricane defender and turning into a double play.  With two outs and Den Duijn on third, Rebeca Laudino laid down a perfect bunt, legging it out to first and scoring Den Duijn for a 3-2 walk off win for FSW, their second walk off against the Hurricanes this season. 

 

There were just 11 hits in the game, 6 for Louisburg and 5 for FSW.  Klett finished 1-3 with a double and a pair of RBIs while Laudino was 1-4 with the game winning RBI. O'Donnell improved to 9-1 on the year in the circle, going the distance and scattering 6 hits while striking out 6.  

 

 

In their final game of a five game in just over 24 hour stretch, the Bucs took on Gordon State to wrap up their weekend in Georgia.  

 

Once again FSW got out to an early lead as Charlotte Drijvers blooped in a 1st inning single to score Laudino who doubled earlier in the inning to give the Bucs a 1-0 lead. 

 

The Highlanders struck back in the 2nd, stringing together three straight singles and a sacrifice fly to take their first lead of the game at 2-1.  

 

The Bucs caught a break in the 3rd when it looked like they had run into an inning ending double play at the plate, but obstruction was called at home and allowed a run to score to even up the game at 2-2.  

 

Sarah Clontz came out of the FSW bullpen and kept it right there, blanking the Highlanders through the middle innings to keep it a 2-2 game to the 6th.  

 

The Bucs broke through in the bottom of 6th as Chelsea Brown smacked a 2-2 pitch back through the box for an RBI single and Owen Bowers laid down a bunt to push another run home to make it 4-2 FSW.  One batter later Den Duijn drove home the Bucs third run of the inning on a groundout to give FSW a 5-2 lead at the end of six.  

 

Clontz did the rest, retiring the Highlanders in order in the top of the 7th to wrap up the 5-2 win for the Bucs.  

 

Clontz went 4 2/3, allowing just 1 hit while striking out 4 to earn her second win of the season out of the FSW bullpen.  The Bucs finished with 6 hits in the win with Drijvers and Bowers each going 2-3 with an RBI in the victory.  

 

 

The Bucs close the weekend 4-1 to move to 19-3 overall on the year. 

 

FSW will now turn their attention to Suncoast Conference play where they will begin their conference slate on March 16th against South Florida State at home at City of Palms Park in Downtown Fort Myers.