Posted: May 05, 2023
CLERMONT, Fla.- With the calendar showing 5/5, it was a '5' on the box score next to Feline Poot's name that powered the #3 Florida SouthWestern State Buccaneers Friday morning in the first round of the 2023 FCSAA State Tournament as Poot finished 2-3 with a home run and 5 RBIs to lead the Bucs past the Pensacola State Pirates 6-1 to advance to the tournament semifinals on Saturday.
It didn't take long for Poot and the Bucs to jump in front on Friday as after Sydney McCray extended the bottom of the 1st inning with a walk, Poot crushed the first pitch she saw deep and out to left center for a two run shot to put FSW in front 2-0.
The 2nd inning was all about Caroline Figueroa as the Bucs first baseman fielded three straight ground balls and took them to the bag herself to keep it a 2-0 lead in favor of FSW.
Some sloppy defense from the Pirates in the 3rd allowed FSW to double their lead as a dropped fly ball on the infield gifted the Bucs one run and a throw away on what would have been the third out banked another to make it 4-0 Bucs at the end of three.
An FSW error allowed Pensacola to get their first run of the game to make it 4-1, but Bucs starter Belle Sardja limited the damage to just one with an athletic play in the circle to end the 4th to keep FSW up by three.
Another Bucs defensive miscue in the 5th brought the tying run to the plate for the Pirates with one out, but Sardja dialed up back to back strikeouts to end the frame and keep it a 4-1 game in favor of the Purple and Aqua.
Poot was back at it in the 5th for FSW as Shenita Tucker and Sydney McCray reached in front of her and she drove them both in with a bullet back up the middle to stretch the Bucs lead to 6-1.
Sardja did the rest for FSW in the circle, putting up zeros in the 6th and 7th to close out the Pirates 6-1 and push the Bucs onto the semifinals.
The 1-2 punch of Poot and Sardja was enough to get it done for the Bucs as Poot finished 2-3 with a homer and five RBIs while Sardja went the distance in the circle, earning her 21st win of the season while scattering six hits and allowing just one unearned run.
FSW improves to 47-5 on the year with the win while Pensacola falls to 31-15.
The Bucs advance to the State Tournament semifinals on Saturday where they will take on #8 Seminole State in the final four for the second straight season beginning at 4 PM.
