February 8, 2026
Walley Leads Bucs Past Chargers on Super Sunday
After three tight contests to begin their weekend, the #3 Florida SouthWestern Buccaneers had a little easier time on Super Bowl Sunday, using a three hit game from Cris Walley to defeat the Columbia State Chargers 11-5 to finish the weekend 2-2 and return to Fort Myers with an 8-2 record on the year.
MARIANNA, Fla.- After three tight contests to begin their weekend, the #3 Florida SouthWestern Buccaneers had a little easier time on Super Bowl Sunday, using a three hit game from Cris Walley to defeat the Columbia State Chargers 11-5 to finish the weekend 2-2 and return to Fort Myers with an 8-2 record on the year.
The Bucs got off to a good start as Brady Jones struck out the side in the top of the 1st and his offense rewarded him with three runs in the bottom half of the inning as Cris Walley tripled home a run and scored on a groundout from Evan Taveras to give FSW an early 3-0 lead.
Robbie Demetree added to the Bucs lead int he 2nd with a solo home run to lead off the frame to make it 4-0 FSW.
Columbia State cracked the scoreboard for the first time with a two run homer in the 3rd to cut the Bucs lead in half at 4-2, but FSW got a run back in the bottom half of the frame after a leadoff double from Walley and a sacrifice fly from Bishop Quarles to bump the lead back to three at 5-2.
The Bucs blew the game open in the 5th as a run scored on a double play before Aiden Talarico blasted a two run homer to left to make it 8-2 FSW at the end of five.
Both teams scored in the 6th, FSW getting a three spot in the bottom half of the inning to make it 11-4 and the Chargers got a run in the 7th but it was too little, too late as the Bucs finished them off 11-5 for their second straight victory.
Walley finished 3-3 with a double, a triple, and four runs scored while Quarles and Talarico each drove in a pair in the win.
Jones threw three strong innings striking out six before handing the ball over to Andrew McLaughlin out of the FSW bullpen who earned the win with two scoreless frames and three punch outs to improve to 1-0 on the year.
The Bucs move to 8-2 on the year with the win while Columbia State heads back home 0-4 after a tough weekend in the Florida Panhandle.
FSW will be back in action on Tuesday when they travel across the state to Lake Worth to take on Palm Beach State in a non-conference contest before opening up defense of their 2025 Citrus Conference Championship Thursday on the road in Tampa against Hillsborough.