Posted: May 07, 2023
CLERMONT, Fla.- The #3 Florida SouthWestern State Buccaneers are headed to Alabama to defend their National Title after beating the #6 Northwest Florida State Raiders 8-2 on Sunday to claim their third FCSAA State Championship in program history.
Things didn't get off to a good start for the Bucs as a walk and an error put runners on second and third with one out for Northwest in the top of the 1st. That changed quickly though as a pop up to shallow right field was handled by Carys Platt who fired home to gun down a runner at the plate to end the inning and turn the momentum to the Bucs side.
The Bucs were first on the board in the 2nd as Shenita Tucker smacked a triple to the left field corner to drive home two and scored herself on a bloop single from Platt to make it 3-0 FSW after two.
Northwest looked like they were going to get right back in the game, loading the bases with one out in the 3rd for the middle of their lineup, but FSW starter Lea Chevrier induced back to back pop outs to get out of the jam and keep the Bucs in front 3-0.
FSW blew the game open in the bottom of the 3rd as Samantha Smith found a hole with a bases loaded single to make it 4-0 before Ella Moore drilled a pinch hit RBI single back up the box to make it a 5-0 game. They weren't done yet though as later in the inning Tucker walked with the bases loaded to force home a run and Platt brought home another with a sacrifice fly to open it up to a 7-0 game at the end of three innings of play.
Chevrier put up back to back zeros in the 4th and 5th innings to keep it a 7-0 game and worked around a leadoff single in the 6th to keep the Raiders off the board to put FSW three outs from victory.
The Bucs padded their lead in the bottom of the 6th on a Feline Poot RBI double, taking a comfortable 8-0 lead into the 7th and final inning of action.
Playing in their first State Championship game in program history, Northwest Florida didn't go quiet, scoring a pair of runs in the 7th to breakup the shutout, but that was all that Chevrier and the Bucs would allow them to get as Laura Vigna made a highlight reel play for the final out of the game and the celebration started for FSW in an 8-2 victory.
The top of the Bucs order was automatic in the victory as Tucker was 2-3 with a triple and three RBIs while Platt was a perfect 3-3 with two RBIs and a run scored. Chevrier went the distance in the circle, scattering seven hits and allowing just one earned run to the powerful Raider lineup, striking out four to improve to 11-2 on the year.
At the conclusion of the game, Tucker was named the Tournament's MVP while Chevrier was named the Most Outstanding Pitcher and Head Coach Robert Iamurri was named the State Coach of the Year.
FSW wins their first FCSAA State Championship since 2018 and their third overall to punch their third straight ticket to the NJCAA National Tournament May 23-27 in Oxford, Alabama.
The Bucs sweep through the State Tournament to improve to 49-5 on the year while Northwest Florida falls to 51-10.
FSW will now have a 16 day break before taking the field again in Alabama where they will look to defend their back to back NJCAA National Championships.
