Posted: May 25, 2023
OXFORD, Ala.- Ace Belle Sardja fired a complete game shutout and Sydney McCray collected three hits as the #3 Florida SouthWestern State Buccaneers blanked #5 Grayson 5-0 Thursday in the winner's bracket semifinal at the 2023 NJCAA Division I Softball World Series in Oxford, Alabama.
In a rematch of the 2021 NJCAA National Championship Game, the Bucs started applying the pressure right off the bat on Thursday as Shenita Tucker legged out a bunt single to begin the FSW half of the 1st and stole third later in the inning before Sydney McCray slapped an RBI double to drive her in and give the Bucs an early 1-0 lead on the Vikings.
The Bucs added to their lead in the 2nd when Laura Vigna walked to lead off the inning and quickly moved to third on an unsuccessful pick off attempt by Grayson. Jaden Goodwin came up and lined one to left field which the Viking outfielder was unable to handle, allowing Vigna to come home and make it a 2-0 game.
FSW starter Belle Sardja worked around a leadoff single in the 3rd with three ground balls to keep her shutout intact and the Bucs doubled their lead in the bottom half of the inning as Goodwin slashed a double to the gap to drive home a run and Sietske Drijvers singled on the first pitch she saw to bring Goodwin home to extend the lead to 4-0.
Sardja worked a 1-2-3 top of the 4th and kept the powerful Viking lineup off the board again in the 5th to keep it a 4-0 game in favor of FSW at the end of five complete.
Grayson looked like they had something cooking in the 6th after a leadoff single, but that runner was quickly erased on a tailor made double play ball to Feline Poot to put the Bucs three outs away from victory.
The Bucs speed again worked to their advantage in the bottom of the 6th as D'Yani McKinley chopped an infield single on the right side and later motored around to score on an infield single from McCray to cushion the Bucs lead to 5-0 at the end of six.
It was more FSW defense on display in the 7th as with one out and one on in the inning, Carys Platt speared a line drive and hit Poot coming across the second base bag to double off a runner and bring the game to an end as the Bucs took it 5-0.
Sardja finished what she started, going the distance in a complete game shutout for her 24th win of the year. She allowed just five hits and walked just one against one of the Nation's top offensive attacks. McCray led the Bucs offense with a 3-4 effort driving in a pair while Tucker had two hits and a run scored at the top of the lineup.
FSW improves to 52-5 on the year with their fourth win over a Top 10 ranked team in their last five contests. Grayson falls to 48-8.
The Bucs advance to the tournament semifinals where they will battle #1 Odessa on Friday at 1 PM (ET) at Choccolocco Park in Oxford.
