Posted: May 27, 2023
OXFORD Ala.- The Florida SouthWestern State Buccaneers won their third straight NJCAA National Championship Saturday afternoon in Oxford, Alabama, defeating in state rival Northwest Florida State 10-6 behind a three home run, six RBI game from Feline Poot who closed out her storied FSW career in grand style, earning Tournament MVP honors in her 187th game as a Buc.
FSW becomes the first team in over 30 years, and only the second team ever to three peat in NJCAA Division I Softball, joining Central Arizona who won five straight from 1988-1992.
Northwest Florida struck first, cracking a two run home run off the scoreboard in left center in the top half of the 1st to give the Raiders an early 2-0 lead.
The Bucs answered right away as Shenita Tucker led off FSW's half of the 1st with a single and trotted home when Feline Poot drilled a two run home run way out to left center to level the score at 2 apiece.
FSW took their first lead of the game in the 2nd when Shenita Tucker reached on a catcher's interference call with the bases loaded to make it 3-2. One batter later another oddity occurred when Carys Platt drove a ball out to deep right center field, scoring not only Sietske Drijvers from third on a sacrifice fly, but also bringing D'Yani McKinley all the way around from second for a second run to make it a 5-2 game. After a fielding error by the Raiders plated their fourth run of the frame, Poot stepped to the plate and hit another towering two run shot out to right center to give the Bucs six in the frame and an 8-2 lead after two.
As expected, Northwest didn't go away as the Raiders responded with a pair in the top of the 3rd to cut the Bucs lead to 8-4.
The game was feet away from being tied in the 4th as Northwest sent a ball flying towards the center field wall with the bases loaded and two outs before Bucs Gold Glove centerfielder Shenita Tucker ran it down to end the threat and the inning to keep FSW in front 8-4.
Sydney McCray was hit by a pitch to begin the FSW 4th and on the next pitch, 'Queen' Feline Poot earned her monikor, launching her third home run of the day out to right, breaking her own program single season record with her 18th of the season and the 55th of her Buccaneer career to make it a 10-4 game.
The ball continued to fly in the 5th as the Raiders cracked a two run home run of their own to make it 10-6 with 2 ½ innings to go.
The Raiders brought the tying run to the on deck circle in the 6th, but FSW reliever Lea Chevrier dialed up the biggest strikeout of her young Buccaneer career to escape a jam and keep the Bucs up four with one inning to go to a National Championship.
FSW couldn't add any insurance in the bottom of the 6th, but they didn't need it as Chevrier found an extra gear, punching out the first two hitters she faced in the 7th before getting a ground ball to Poot, who kissed the ball before throwing it to first base to end the game and start the celebraton for the Purple and Aqua in a 10-6 win.
Poot capped her historic FSW career with the best game of her career as the super sophomore was a perfect 3-3 with three home runs and six RBIs in the win. For her efforts, the three time National Champion was named the Tournament's Most Valuable Player. She breaks her own program single season home record with 18 to finish her career with 55 long balls.
Alabama native Jaden Goodwin was a perfect 3-3 for the second straight game in her home state while Shenita Tucker was 1-3 with an RBI and two runs scored to cap her outstanding Buccaneer career.
Lea Chevrier outlasted a powerful Northwest lineup for six innings to earn the win in the Championship Game to improve to 13-2 on the year, striking out a career postseason best seven.
Joining Poot with the superlative awards in the tournament for FSW was Belle Sardja who was named the tournament's Most Outstanding Pitcher to go along with her 2022 MVP honors, Sietske Drijvers who was named the Most Outstanding Defensive Player, and Head Coach Robert Iamurri who was named the Coach of the Tournament. Sydney McCray joined the trio of Poot, Sardja, and Drijvers on the All-Tournament Team for the week.
FSW becomes just the second team in NJCAA Division I history to win back to back to back National Championships as they finish the season 54-5 and on top of the junior college softball world. Northwest Florida finishes 57-11 and National Runners-Up in their first trip to the World Series.
