Posted: Mar 14, 2023
FORT MYERS, Fla.- The #3 Florida SouthWestern State Buccaneers ran their win streak to 14 games Tuesday afternoon at Buccaneers Park in Fort Myers, downing the visiting #9 Central Florida Patriots 4-1 and 2-1 in a non-conference twinbill sweep.
In game one all the scoring came early on as Central Florida plated a 1st inning run to take a quick 1-0 lead before FSW responded with three in the bottom of the inning, highlighted by a two run single from Sietske Drijvers to give the Bucs their first lead at 3-1.
FSW added to their lead in the 2nd , taking advantage of a leadoff triple from Sydney McCray to make it a 4-1 game.
It was all pitching from there as Belle Sardja worked around a one out single in the 4th and a leadoff knock by the Patriots in the 6th to keep it a 4-1 game.
FSW couldn't add any insurance in the bottom of the 6th but they didn't need it as Sardja stranded a runner in a scoreless 7th to close things out and give the Bucs a 4-1 win in the opener.
Sardja went the distance in the circle for the Bucs in the win, scattering five hits while striking out five to improve to 9-1 on the year. Drijvers powered the offense with a pair of hits and two RBIs in three trips to the plate in the win.
Game two once again saw FSW get on the board right away as they used the short game with bunt singles from McCray and Shenita Tucker to set the table before a Central Florida error allowed McCray to come across to give the Bucs a 1-0 lead.
Bucs starter Kylee Graham kept the game right there retiring the first six hitters she faced before working around a pair of FSW errors in the 3rd to keep the Patriots off the board and the Bucs up 1-0 at the end of three.
Graham stranded a runner in scoring position with a big strikeout to end the 4th, keeping the Bucs up 1-0 midway through the contest.
The Bucs had a chance to add on in the 5th as they loaded the bases with a two out rally, but a strikeout ended the threat and the inning to keep it a 1-0 game.
Central Florida finally broke through in the 6th , picking up a pair of two out singles to push across a run and level the score at 1-1 after 5 1/2.
The Bucs responded right away as Carys Platt led off with a walk and moved to third on a Patriot error. A fly ball to center from Laura Vigna was enough to score the speedy Platt from third, putting the Bucs back on top 2-1.
Central Florida threatened in the 7th against FSW reliever Lea Chevrier, putting two on with two out, but the freshman got a groundball to Feline Poot at short to end it, giving the Bucs a 2-1 win and a sweep in the doubleheader.
Tucker reached base in all three at bats for the Bucs in the game two win, going 2-2 with a walk. McCray was 1-2 with a run scored at the top of the FSW order. Graham went four hitless innings, striking out two but wasn't a factor in the decision while Chevrier earned her seventh win of the season out of the Bucs bullpen, going three innings and striking out three.
FSW runs their win streak to 14 games as they improve to 25-3 on the year while Central Florida falls to 30-8.
The Bucs are back in action against another Top 10 ranked opponent on Thursday when they host DII #6 Parkland for a 1 PM doubleheader at Buccaneers Park in Fort Myers.