Longwood, Fla.- The #1 Florida SouthWestern State Buccaneers and the #11 Pensacola State Pirates planned on running into each other at the FCSAA State Tournament in Longwood this weekend, but the two didn't think it would be in an elimination game between the state's top two ranked teams.  That was the case though Sunday night under the lights as the Bucs and Pirates went blow for blow in a win or go home battle. Trailing 2-1 in the 6^th inning, the Bucs plated a pair of runs to take a 3-2 lead and then staved off bases loaded rallies from Pensacola in both the 6^th and 7^th innings with Belle Sardja getting the biggest strikeout of her young career to end the ballgame and send the Bucs onto the NJCAA South Atlantic District B Championship Monday with a 3-2 win.  

 

The Bucs cracked the scoreboard first in the 3^rd in the battle of the high seas as Shenita Tucker legged out an infield single, stole second, and advanced to third on a Pensacola error where two pitches later she was delivered home on an RBI single from Feline Poot to give FSW a 1-0 lead.  Later in the inning it looked like the Bucs were going to get a crooked number as Taylor Jensen drilled a ball down the third base line with runners on second and third, but a diving play by the Pirates turned into a double play and ended the inning with the Bucs settling for a 1-0 lead after 2 1/2.  

 

Pensacola responded right back, getting a leadoff single and using a Buccaneer misplay in the outfield to put a runner in scoring position with nobody out and later in the frame they cashed the run in on a sacrifice fly to knot the game back up at 1. 

 

The Pirates took their first lead of the game in the 4^th as they used a leadoff double and another sac fly later in the inning to push home a run and go up 2-1. 

 

Both teams put their leadoff hitters on in the 5^th but were unable to score, keeping it a 2-1 game to the 6th. 

 

Down one with just six outs left to work with, the Bucs got a leadoff double in the 6^th from Caroline Figueroa to set them up with a chance to score the equalizer and after Jensen singled to move pinch runner Ava Worthy to third, they did just that as Charlotte Drijvers dribbled one off the end of the bat to first and Worthy beat the throw home to level the score at 2. Two batters later Bucs Head Coach Robert Iamurri called upon pinch hitter Pallas Potter and down 0-2 in the count, she came through, grounding out up the middle deep enough to allow Jensen to score from third to put the Bucs up 3-2. 

 

Bucs starter Belle Sardja took the rubber for her sixth inning of work in the bottom of the frame and got two quick outs before running into trouble as the Pirates loaded the bases on three straight singles, but after a mound visit from Iamurri, she got a fly out on the first pitch of the next at bat to end the threat and the inning with the Bucs clinging to a 3-2 lead. 

 

The Bucs were unable to get any insurance in the top of the 7^th as they were retired in order, sending the game to the bottom of the 7^th with the score still 3-2.  

 

For a moment it looked like the clock had struck midnight for the Bucs as Pensacola put two on with one out before a double deep into the gap in right center sent the Pirates flying around the bases, but Pensacola's runner on second base went back to tag up on the fly ball rather than heading home to score the tying run and the Bucs took advantage, gunning her down at the plate to keep the lead and record the second out of the inning. An intentional walk to FCSAA Player of the Year loaded the bases with the tying run 60 feet away and the winning run 120 feet from home plate at second.  With tensions high on both sides, as well as in the crowd, Sardja quickly got ahead 0-2 in the count before three straight balls pushed the count full at 3-2. With a situation made for a Disney movie playing out right in front of her; bases loaded, two outs, 3-2 count, and the game on the line, Sardja came up with the biggest pitch of her young career, spinning a drop curve onto the outside corner, getting a swing and a miss for a strikeout to close out the game and send the FSW dugout into a frenzy. 

 

Sardja went the distance in a seven inning game for just the second time in her FSW career, scattering nine hits and allowing just one earned run to earn her 10^th win of the season.  The Bucs finished with seven hits in the victory with Poot finishing 2-4 with an RBI and Figueroa going 1-1 with a double, reaching base in all three at bats.  

 

FSW picks up their second win over a top 15 ranked opponent of the weekend, improving to 48-5 on the year while Pensacola sees their magical 2022 campaign come to an end at 39-11. 

 

The Bucs will get a chance at revenge on Monday as they advance to the NJCAA South Atlantic District B Championship Game at 10 AM where they will take on Seminole State, the only team to beat FSW in the tournament, with a trip to the NJCAA National Tournament on the line.