Posted: Apr 14, 2022
CLEARWATER, Fla.- Benjamin Franklin once said "nothing can be said to be certain except death and taxes", 250 years later you can add another thing to that list, the Florida SouthWestern State Softball team winning the Suncoast Conference Championship. The Buccaneers clinched their sixth consecutive league title Thursday after steamrolling the St. Petersburg Titans 10-1 and 17-1 in Clearwater.
With the conference championship within their sights, the Bucs came out ready to go against the Titans Thursday, wasting little time in jumping on them in game one, getting an RBI double from Feline Poot to highlight a three run 1st to take an early 3-0 lead.
A two run home run from McKenzie Wittenberg in the 3rd extended the lead to 5-0 and later in the frame Shenita Tucker legged out an infield single to bring home a run and make it 7-0.
St. Petersburg had their chance to get back in the game in the bottom of the 3rd as they loaded the bases with nobody out, but Samantha Smith wiggled out of the jam allowing just one run to keep the Bucs up 7-1 after three complete.
After doubling to start the 5th, Charlotte Drijvers came around to score on a Titan error to up the Bucs lead to 8-1.
FSW reliever Kylee Graham kept St. Pete in check from there and RBI doubles from Drijvers and Laura Vigna in the 7th added to the lead before the Bucs finished off the Titans 10-1.
The Bucs banged out 12 hits in the win including seven for extra bases. Drijvers finished 2-3 with a pair of doubles and two runs scored while Vigna and Pallas Potter each finished with two hits apiece including a double. Graham earned the win in the circle, tossing four scoreless innings of relief, allowing just four hits to improve to 6-0 on the year.
The break between games didn't slow the Bucs down a bit as FSW came out in the 1st and put up four runs before their first out, highlighted by a bases clearing double from Wittenberg and added another run later in the inning to go up 5-0 before the Titans got to bat for the first time.
It was more of the same in the 2nd as Potter singled home a run on a single to center and Drijvers brought home two more with a double down the left field line to make it 8-0. With two outs Carys Platt beat out a bunt to score Drijvers to extend it to a 9-0 game after two.
Back to back RBI singles from Tucker and Taylor Jensen in the 3rd made it an 11-0 game.
FSW starter Baylee Haggard needed just five pitches to work a quick 1-2-3 bottom of the 3rd to keep it an 11-0 lead in favor of the Bucs.
The Bucs added five more to blow it open to a 16-0 game in the 4th as Tucker drove home two with her third hit of the game and Potter banged a double to center to plate another.
St. Pete got their first hit and first run of the game in the bottom of the 4th but Tucker got the run back for the Bucs in the 5th with her fourth hit and fourth RBI of the game to make it 17-1.
Brooke Geiger came in from the Bucs bullpen and shut the door in the 5th, working a 1-2-3 frame to finish off a 17-1 win for the Purple and Aqua.
The game was never in question as the Bucs outhit the Titans 16-1 and took advantage of seven free passes. Tucker was a perfect 4-4 with four runs scored and four RBIs while Jensen was 3-3 with a pair of runs scored and an RBI. Potter and Wittenberg each doubled and combined for six RBIs in the win. Haggard went four innings, allowing just one hit and one unearned run to pick up the win and improve to 19-1 on the year in the circle.
With the sweep the Bucs clinch their sixth consecutive Suncoast Conference Championship despite six conference games still left on the schedule.
FSW extends their season long win streak to 16 games with the victories as they improve to 39-4 overall and 14-0 in Suncoast Conference play. Second place St. Petersburg falls to 31-21 overall and 9-7 in conference action with the losses.
The Bucs wrap up a busy week at home on Saturday when they host the Hawks of Hillsborough at 1:00 at City of Palms Park in Downtown Fort Myers.