Posted: May 06, 2023
CLERMONT, Fla.- For the first time since 2019 the #3 Florida SouthWestern State Buccaneers will play for an FCSAA State Championship after defeating #8 Seminole State 9-4 in the semifinals Saturday behind three hit games from Shenita Tucker and Sydney McCray and a masterful performance out of the bullpen from freshman Lea Chevrier.
Things got off to a bit of a rough start for the Bucs as the FSW defense committed a pair of 1st inning errors to allow Seminole State to score two unearned runs to take an early 2-0 lead.
A one out triple from Carys Platt and a bloop single from Sydney McCray got the Bucs on the board in the bottom half of the inning to cut the Raiders lead in half to 2-1.
Bucs starter Belle Sardja worked 1-2-3 frames in the 2nd and 3rd and allowed the FSW offense to go back to work in the bottom of the 3rd as a bases loaded bean ball to Laura Vigna forced home a run to tie it before a sacrifice fly from Caroline Figueroa and a Seminole State error allowed a third run to score in the inning to give FSW a 4-2 lead after three.
The Bucs were back at it in the 4th as Shenita Tucker slashed a double down the left field line to drive home a run and she scored on another two bagger from McCray to make it 6-2. The Bucs weren't done yet though as Feline Poot found a hole in short left field to drive McCray home to extend the FSW lead to 7-2 at the end of four.
Just when it looked like the Bucs were going to run away with it, the Raiders answered back. Seminole got a leadoff triple in the 5th followed by a single back up the middle to cut the Bucs lead to 7-3 and another single later in the inning brought home their second run of the frame to make it a 7-4 game. With the bases loaded and one out in the inning, Bucs Head Coach Robert Iamurri went to the bullpen and freshman Lea Chevrier for her first career postseason action and it was the right button to push as Chevrier struck out two straight to put out the fire and keep the Bucs in front 7-4.
THe Bucs got some breathing room in the 6th as Laura Vigna smacked a two out, two run double to the wall in left center to pad the lead to 9-4 and that is how it would end as Chevrier worked a 1-2-3 top of the 7th to close things out and send the Bucs on to the State Title game.
Tucker and McCray set the table for the Bucs, each recording three hits in the win while Tucker knocked in one and scored a pair and McCray drove in two and scored three times. Vigna was the only other Buc to notch a multi-hit game, going 2-3 with a double and three RBIs. Sardja earned the win in the circle for FSW, going 4 1/3 and allowing six hits and one earned run to improve to 22-2 on the year. Chevrier went 2 2/3 scoreless out of the FSW bullpen, striking out four to pick up her state leading fifth save of the year.
FSW improves to 48-5 on the year with the win while Seminole falls to 45-13.
The Bucs advance to their first FCSAA State Championship Game since the 2019 season where they will take on #6 Northwest Florida at 4:00 PM Sunday with a trip to the NJCAA National Tournament on the line. Seminole State will try their luck in the back draw as they try to work their way to the South Atlantic District B final on Monday.
