January 31, 2026
No-Hitter Highlights Opening Day Sweep For #2 Bucs
The #2 Florida SouthWestern Bucaneers couldn't have scripted a better start to their 2026 season on Saturday as they opened the year with a no-hitter in a 12-0 win over Pensacola State before defeating Air Force Prep 10-5 to sweep a pair of games at the Clearwater Kick Off Classic.
CLEARWATER, Fla.- The #2 Florida SouthWestern Bucaneers couldn't have scripted a better start to their 2026 season on Saturday as they opened the year with a no-hitter in a 12-0 win over Pensacola State before defeating Air Force Prep 10-5 to sweep a pair of games at the Clearwater Kick Off Classic.
In their first game of the day, both FSW and Pensacola had prime scoring opportunities right off the bat, but both left runners in scoring position to end the 1st inning to send the game to the 2nd scoreless.
Both teams went down in order in the 2nd and the Bucs broke the ice in the 3rd as Noelani Livingstone ripped an RBI double to center to give the Bucs the lead and scored two pitches later on a single from Megan Veilleux to make it 2-0 FSW. Later in the inning Bente Zaanenburg picked up her first career hit, a two run single to left to make it 4-0 and Makayla Jakubuwski drilled a single the other way to bring her home and stretch the Bucs lead to 5-0 at the end of 2 1/2.
Zoe Yzaguirre fired a 1-2-3 frame for the Bucs to keep it right there and the Bucs offense was right back at it in the 4th, as a bases loaded bunt scored a run before Zaanenburg cleared the bases with a ball off the wall to blow the Bucs lead open to 9-0. Jakubuwski picked up her second RBI single of the game to bump the lead to 10-0 and FSW added two more in the 5th to make it a 12-0 game.
Overshadowed by the Bucs offensive outburst was the fact that as the teams went to the bottom of the 5th, a zero in the run column wasn't the only zero on the scoreboard for the Pirates. Yzaguirre handed the ball over to Lizzy Kwakernaak in the circle and Kwakernaak worked a 1-2-3 frame to secure the no-hitter for the Bucs as the run rule kicked in with FSW winning it 12-0.
It is the second straight season Kwakernaak was a part of a Bucs no-hitter as last season she started and went five innings in a no-no to close out April against St. Petersburg.
The Bucs banged out 13 hits in the win with four different players recording multi-hit games. Zwaanenburg led the way, going 2-3 with a double and 5 RBIs while Livingstone was 2-2 and accounted for 5 runs with 3 scored and 2 driven in. Yzaguirre tossed 4 no-hit frames, striking out 7 to earn the win and begin the season 1-0.
In their second game of the afternoon the Bucs took on Air Force Prep and fell behind the Huskies early 1-0 after an unearned run in the 1st inning.
The Bucs got their offense going in the 2nd taking advantage of some soft spots in the Air Force defense, scoring seven times on just three hits while stealing nine bases in the inning to jump in front 7-1.
The Bucs gifted a pair of runs back in the 3rd after walking the bases loaded and giving up a two out single to cut the lead to 7-3, but they answered back with three of their own in the bottom half of the frame, highlighted by an RBI double from Stephanie Basso to push their lead to seven at 10-3.
The Huskies scored twice more in the 4th , helped by an FSW error to trim the Bucs lead to 10-5.
The bottom of the 4th could have been statistically one of the oddest innings the game has ever seen. Not a single ball was put in play, not a single putout was made in the field, but just like that, the inning was over without anyone crossing the plate. FSW drew three walks and all three runners left base early at first, ending the frame and keeping it a 10-5 game.
With a rare blast of winter weather approaching the Tampa area, the Bucs picked up three quick outs in the 5th and the game was called with FSW getting the win 10-5.
The Bucs had just 5 hits in the win, but took advantage of 10 walks and stole 13 bases to come away with the victory. Charlotte Graham picked up the win in the circle, going 3 innings and striking out 6 for her first collegiate victory.
The Bucs start the season 2-0 for the third straight year, outscoring their opponents 22-5 on the day.
FSW has a busy week ahead on the road as they travel to State College of Florida Tuesday for a doubleheader before continuing North to play in the Visit Dothan Invitational where their highlight matchup comes against #11 Chipola in a rematch of the 2025 FCSAA Championship Game on Saturday.