Posted: May 09, 2025
CLEARWATER, Fla.- The #1 Florida SouthWestern State Buccaneers are headed back to the NJCAA World Series after defeating longtime rivals #22 Chipola 7-3 in the FCSAA Championsip Game on Friday.
For the third straight game, the Bucs struck early against the Indians on Friday as Nicole Edmiaston remained red hot with a bullet off the wall in the bottom of the 1st to score Skylar Brennan who singled earlier in the inning to give FSW a quick 1-0 advantage.
The Bucs added to their lead in the 2nd as they loaded the bases with one out before Brennan crushed a grand slam deep and out to right center to balloon the FSW lead to 5-0 after two.
FSW starter Lizzy Kwakernaak kept it right there, working quick 1-2-3 innings in the 3rd and 4th to hold the Bucs 5-0 lead as the teams went to the 5th.
The Bucs continued to add on in the 5th as Faith Wharton singled back up the middle to drive home a run and make it 6-0 FSW after five.
Chipola showed some life in the 6th as they got back to back one out singles ahead of a three run home run to center to cut the Bucs lead in half to 6-3.
Noelani Livingstone gave the Bucs some insurance in the bottom of the inning, grabbing momentum back for the Purple and Aqua with a leadoff triple off the wall in left before Brennan drove her in with a sacrifice fly to make it 6-3 FSW.
The Bucs went to ace Leah Meyer to close things out in the 7th and that she did, as three outs away from the Championship, Meyer worked a 1-2-3 inning, finishing things off in style with back to back strikeouts to start the celebration and crown the Bucs the 2025 FCSAA Champions with a 7-3 victory.
The Bucs had a stranglehold on the game from early on, outhiting the Indians 11-4 while FSW pitching struck out 8 Chipola batters and the Bucs only struck out once themselves. Brennan led the way with a monster game in the Title matchup, going a perfect 3-3 with a homer and 4 RBIs while Edmiaston was 3-4 with a double and an RBI. Kwakernaak earned the win in the circle, going 6 innings and allowing just four hits and three runs while striking out six to improve to 15-2 on the year.
FSW improves to 52-5 with the win while Chipola falls to 32-19. The Championship is the Bucs fourth in program history and the third time they have defeated the Indians for the Title.
The Bucs punch their ticket to the NJCAA World Series for the fifth straight year and the eighth time in nine seasons. FSW will find out their matchup on Tuesday for the tournament that begins May 19th in Yuma, Arizona.
