LONGWOOD, Fla.- In a battle between two of the top five teams in the country, the #1 Florida SouthWestern State Buccaneers charged past the #5 Central Florida Patriots 8-3 Sunday night in the FCSAA State Tournament, getting homers from Taylor Jensen and Feline Poot and a complete game in the circle from Alyssa O'Donnell to advance to the NJCAA District H Championship Monday against #12 Indian River. 

 

The Bucs wasted no time in getting going right off the bat in the 1st inning as Rebeca Laudino walked and Janessa Plummer singled to put two on with nobody out for FSW. Natavia Ellis lifted a sacrifice fly to left to score Laudino and two batters later Taylor Jensen crushed a three run home run the other way to give the Bucs a 4-0 lead after one inning of play. 

 

Central Florida got on the board with a run in the 2nd, but then gave it right back to the Bucs on an error in the top of the 3rd to keep FSW in front by four 5-1. 

 

The Patriots then used a Buccaneer error to add another tally in the bottom of the 3rd, but FSW starter Alyssa O'Donnell stranded the bases loaded and kept the Bucs in front 5-2 at the end of three. 

 

Central Florida scored another unearned run in the 5th to get to within two, but a perfect relay throw from the outfield to nail the runner at third for FSW helped avert further damage and kept the Bucs on top 5-3. 

 

A scoreless 6th sent the game to the final inning of play with FSW clinging to a 5-3 lead. 

 

Shanika Klett provided some insurance for the Bucs in the 7th as she singled with one out and moved to second on a Patriot error before stealing third and scoring on another CF defensive blunder to push the lead to 6-3. With two outs in the inning, Suncoast Conference Player of the Year Feline Poot came up huge, blasting a two run home run into the night to give FSW some breathing room with an 8-3 lead. 

 

O'Donnell did the rest from there, retiring the top of the Patriot lineup in order in the bottom of the 7th to seal up the win and keep the Bucs alive in the tournament.  

 

Jensen and Poot powered the Bucs offense, each going 2-4 and homering while combining for five RBIs. O'Donnell went the distance in the circle, allowing seven hits and three runs, all unearned, to pick up her 20th win of the year. 

 

FSW improves to 43-4 on the year with the victory while Central Florida sees their season come to an end at 44-8. 

 

The Bucs win their second straight elimination game in the tournament to advance to Monday's District H Championship game against #12 Indian River, with a trip to the NJCAA National Tournament on the line. The Bucs and Pioneers will get things going at 10 AM at Soldier's Creek Park in Longwood.