Posted: May 26, 2023
OXFORD, Ala.- The #3 Florida SouthWestern State Buccaneers put on a show in the NJCAA World Series Semifinals on Friday in Oxford, Alabama, hammering the top seeded Odessa Wranglers 11-0 in run rule fashion to punch their ticket to their third straight NJCAA National Championship Game on Saturday.
After matching up twice during the 2022 Championship Tournament, the Bucs and Wranglers met up again Friday in the World Series Semifinal at Choccolocco Park.
Early on it looked like Odessa had the upper hand as the Wranglers put two on in the 1st and another in the 2nd while FSW sent the minimum to the plate through two scoreless innings for both sides.
That changed quickly in the 3rd as Jaden Goodwin picked up the Bucs first hit and came in to score when Carys Platt walked with the bases loaded to give FSW a 1-0 lead. One batter later Sydney McCray lined a sinlgle back up the box to bring home two more and Feline Poot followed suit with an RBI single of her own to make it 4-0 Buccaneers.
Bucs starter Belle Sardja worked a quick bottom of the 3rd to hold FSW's lead at 4-0 at the end of three complete.
FSW blew things open in the 4th as Goodwin again led off the frame with a single and came around to score quickly on an RBI double down the line from Sietske Drijvers. A bunt single from D'Yani McKinley and an Odessa throwing error allowed Drijvers to score to make it 6-0 and another Wrangler error brought McKinley home to push it to a 7-0 contest. A successful double steal by the Bucs added their fourth run of the inning to the board and Poot put a cherry on the frame with a monstrous two run home run out to deep left center field to blow it open to a 10-0 game.
Ella Moore ripped a two out bases loaded single through the right side in the 5th for good measure to make it 11-0 and Sardja did the rest, getting a strikeout and a pair of ground outs to end it in five.
The bottom of the lineup led the way for FSW as Goodwin was a perfect 3-3 with a pair of runs scored, Drijvers was 2-3 with an RBI and two runs scored, and McKinley was a perfect 2-2 and crossed the plate twice. McCray and Poot drove in three a peice in the middle of the order. The offensive outburst overshadowed another outstanding effort from Sardja and the FSW defense as the Bucs ace threw her second straight five hit shutout, striking out four and not walking a batter to improve to 25-2 on the year in the circle.
FSW improves to 53-5 on the season with the victory while Odessa falls to 54-5.
The win sends the Bucs to their third straight NJCAA National Championship Game on Saturday at 1 PM (ET) where they will take on the winner of Friday night's Northwest Florida/Odessa matchup in Oxford.
Saturday's game will be broadcast exclusively on ESPN+. If you don't have ESPN+ but still want to see the Bucs in action, stop by Buckett's in Fort Myers for their Official Watch Party tomorrow at 1 PM (ET).
