Posted: Mar 04, 2023
COLUMBUS, Ga.- After a pair of hard fought battles on Friday at the NFCA Leadoff Classic in Georgia, the #3 Florida SouthWestern State Buccaneers had a chance to breathe a little bit more on Saturday, outscoring their two opponents 20-3 in a pair of wins to improve to 17-3 on the year.
For the third time in four games, the Bucs found themselves down early in their first game of the day against DII #19 Lansing from Michigan as the Stars collected back to back hits to begin the game to take an early 1-0 lead.
The Bucs answered right away as Carys Platt remained red hot with an RBI single up the middle to even things up and three pitches later Caroline Figueroa smacked a single of her own up the box to put FSW in front 2-1.
FSW starter Lea Chevrier struck out the side in the 2nd and punched out two more in the 3rd to keep it a 2-1 game in favor of the Bucs after 2 1/2.
Sydney McCray began the Bucs 3rd with a leadoff triple and she came around to score on a groundout from Laura Vigna to make it 3-1. On the next pitch Jaden Goodwin blooped a single to left to bring home another run and make it 4-1 Bucs at the end of three.
FSW tacked on four more in the 5th with the big blow coming off the bat of Giulia Bancora with a two out, two run single to stretch the lead to 8-1.
That was more than enough for Chevrier as she struck out the side again in the 6th before giving the ball to Esmee Ames who spun a scoreless 7th to give the Bucs an 8-1 win over the Stars.
The Bucs outhit the Stars 10-6 in the win and were led by the trio of McCray, Platt, and Figueroa who had two hits each while combining to score five runs and drive in another two. Chevrier earned the win in the circle, going six innings and allowing just one run while striking out a career high 13.
In their second game of the day against Wabash Valley, it was all Bucs, all the time.
FSW wasted little time in jumping in front right away, getting an RBI single from Ella Moore to start the scoring in the top of the 2nd and packing on five more in the frame highlighted by an RBI single from Shenita Tucker and a two run single from Laura Vigna to make it 6-0 Bucs after two.
Three FSW errors in the 3rd allowed Wabash to get on the board with a run, but the Bucs answered right back with three in the top of the 4th on an RBI triple from Platt, a run scoring double from Vigna, and a single through the right side from Jaden Goodwin to put the Bucs up 9-1.
Belle Sardja made quick work of the Warriors in the 4th and the Bucs continued applying pressure on the Wabash pitching and defense in the 5th as Kamryn Cantu drove a pair in with a triple to left and Maddy Golka brought her home to make it 12-1 FSW.
Wabash got a run in the 5th, but it was too little, too late as FSW took a 12-2 run rule win to finish off a perfect weekend in the Peach State.
The Bucs had 11 total hits from 10 different players with Vigna the lone FSW player with multiple hits as she finished 2-3 with a double and three RBIs. Sardja was solid as usual in the circle, going four innings and allowing just one hit and one unearned run while striking out four to earn the win and improve to 5-1 on the year.
FSW has now won six in a row to improve to 17-3 on the year.
The Bucs return home to play at Buccaneers Field for just the second time this season on Tuesday when they host old Suncoast Conference foe Polk State for a doubleheader beginning at 1:00.