April 22, 2025
Bucs Drop Shootout With Manatees
Runs were aplenty Tuesday night as the #11 Florida SouthWestern State Buccaneers took on the State College of Florida Manatees in their final non-conference contest of the 2025 season. It was a back and forth battle throughout, but the Bucs had an 11-9 lead going to the 9th inning before seeing that lead slip and eventually the Manatees walk them off in the 10th for a 12-11 victory to drop FSW to 36-13 on the year.
BRADENTON, Fla.- Runs were aplenty Tuesday night as the #11 Florida SouthWestern State Buccaneers took on the State College of Florida Manatees in their final non-conference contest of the 2025 season. It was a back and forth battle throughout, but the Bucs had an 11-9 lead going to the 9th inning before seeing that lead slip and eventually the Manatees walk them off in the 10th for a 12-11 victory to drop FSW to 36-13 on the year.
The game started inconspicuously enough as neither team had a hit through the first two innings while the Bucs put a runner on in each inning, but continued to be bitten by the double play bug, erasing them in both frames to keep the game scoreless after two.
The fireworks began in the 3rd as Anthony Ruocco and Carlos Sanchez picked up back to back RBI singles to start the scoring before Jake Mueller drove a run home with a groundout to make it 3-0 FSW.
The lead didn't last long for the Bucs as the Manatees cracked a home run on the first pitch of the bottom of the 3rd and four batters later hit a second long ball to put them in front for the first time in the contest at 4-3.
The Bucs answered right back, loading the bases with nobody out in the 4th before a sacrifice fly and a passed ball plated a pair of runs to put them back in front 5-4.
FSW added to their lead in the 5th as Nathan Fink doubled home a pair to make it a 7-4 game, but their third twin killing of the game shut down any further threat and kept it a three run game midway through.
State College of Florida got to the Bucs bullpen in the 6th, smacking back to back doubles followed by two more singles to score four times and put the Manatees back in front 8-7.
Mueller tied the game at 8 with a solo home run on the first pitch of the bottom of the 7th and later in the inning Michael McAloose drove home a pair on a two out double to put the Bucs on top once again 10-8 at stretch time.
An FSW error cost them a run in the bottom of the 7th to make it a one run game to the 8th, but for the second straight inning Mueller jumped ship with a solo shot to right to give the Bucs some breathing room at 11-9.
Judd Hildreth fired a 1-2-3 inning for the Bucs in the 8th and they went to the 9th with a two run lead 11-9.
The Bucs hit the first Manatee batter of the 9th to bring the tying run to the plate and SCF immediately paid that off with a two run home run the other way to tie the score at 11. A pair of walks put the winning run in scoring position for the Manatees before a ground ball to short ended the threat and sent the game to extras tied at 11.
The Bucs started with a runner on second to start the 10th in the non-conference contest and had runners on the corners with one out after a Manatee error. A pop up to center wasn't deep enough to get the runner home and a groundout to the shortstop brought the inning to a close for FSW.
State College of Florida did cash the auto runner in in the bottom of the 10th, getting a one out single to right to bring the run home and walk off FSW 12-11.
Mueller led the Bucs going 2-5 with a pair of homers, three runs scored, and three RBIs in the loss. McAloose and Fink each drove in a pair while Nik Pereira reached base four times with a pair of hits and two walks.
All six FSW pitchers to throw in the game allowed a run. Brett Dennis took the loss, throwing to two hitters in the 10th, striking out one and giving up a hit to allow the auto runner to score to fall to 0-1 on the year.
FSW's hopes of a 40 win regular season are dashed with the defeat as they fall to 36-13 on the year while State College of Florida bounces back after being swept over the weekend to improve to 32-19.
The Bucs now turn their attention to the race for the Citrus Conference Championship where they enter the final weekend of conference play just one game behind Indian River. The Bucs will take on Polk State Thursday on the road in Winter Haven before closing the regular season at home with a doubleheader Saturday at Buccaneers Park beginning at 12:30 PM with Sophomore Day festivites taking place at 12:15 PM prior to game one of the twinbill.