OXFORD, Ala.- Semifinal Saturday didn't go as planned for the #1 Florida SouthWestern Buccaneers in Oxford, Alabama as after entering the day just two wins from their fourth National Championship in program history, the Bucs fell flat, dropping both of their games on the day to eliminated them from the 2026 NJCAA World Series and force FSW to settle for a third place finish.

The Bucs first game of the day came against the new kids on the block, the #3 Northeast Alabama Mustangs making their first ever trip to the World Series.

Both sides had scoring chances early on as Northeast Alabama put two on with nobody out in the top of the 1^st but couldn't score and FSW put runners at second and third with one out in the bottom half but also couldn't push a run across to send the game to the 2^nd scoreless.

The Mustangs broke through in the 3^rd, getting back to back one out run scoring doubles to take a 2-0 lead before a single back up the middle gave Northeast a three run lead at the end of 2 ½.

Thaima Maximiliana led off the FSW 3^rd with her second hit of the game and a bunt single from Kaitlyn Klismith and a walk to Noelani Livingstone loaded the bases with nobody out for the heart of the Buccaneer order. A pop out on the infield was the Bucs first out of the inning before Megan Veilleux brought home a run with a groundout, but for the third time in the tournament, the Bucs got hung up on the bases and the Mustangs ended the threat there to remain in front 3-1 after three complete.

The Bucs had another chance to get back in the game in the 5^th as Maximiliana notched her third knock of the game and Livingstone walked for the second time in three innings, but once again FSW couldn't come through with the big hit and left the runners stranded as Northeast continued to lead it 3-1 after five.

After two quick outs in the top of the 6^th Northeast put together a rally, getting an RBI single to right on an 0-2 pitch followed by an infield single and a double to the gap in left center to score two more and blow their lead open to 6-1.

Giorgiana Woods came on out of the FSW bullpen to work the 7^th and breezed through the Mustang lineup 1-2-3 to keep it a 6-1 game.

Down to their final out, the Bucs made things interesting as a pair of runners got on in front of Stephanie Basso who crushed a three run home run to dead center to get FSW back into the game with one swing of the bat at 6-4. That is as close as the Bucs would get though, as a groundout ended the rally and the game as Northeast Alabama hung on to win 6-4.

Maximiliana led a nine hit attack for the FSW offense going a perfect 3-3 with two runs scored while Livingstone reached base three out of four times and stole a base. Alexandra Solo took the loss in the circle, allowing six hits and three runs in 2 1/3 innings worked to fall to 7-1 on the year.

The loss snapped a 32 game winning streak for the Bucs, falling one win short of a program record 33 set during the 2017 season.

Northeast Alabama punched their ticket to their first National Championship Game in program history while FSW was relegated to the elimination bracket final later in the day in Oxford.

#1 FLORIDA SOUTHWESTERN/#3 NORTHEAST ALABAMA BOX SCORE

PHOTO GALLERY BY ROY ALLEN

In their second semifinal matchup of the day it was a rematch for the Bucs as they squared off against the #4 Temple Leopards who they handled to the tune of a 12-2 run rule win just 24 hours earlier in the quarterfinals.

It was an old fashioned pitcher's duel early on between FSW's Lizzy Quakernaak and Temple's Izzy Garcia as the two both worked three perfect innings the first time through the lineup to quickly shoot the game to the 4^th scoreless.

Temple broke through first, using a leadoff single and a one out double in the top of the 4^th to plate a run and take their first lead of the contest at 1-0.

Livingstone continued her big tournament with a two out single and then a stolen base to put her in scoring position with two outs in the 4^th, but she was stranded at inning's end after a looking strikeout at the plate by the Bucs to keep it a 1-0 lead in favor of the Leopards at the end of four complete.

Makayla Jakubuwski doubled down the left field line with two outs in the 5^th to put the tying run in scoring position once again, but a looking strikeout ended the inning for the second straight frame for the Bucs as the Leopards continued to lead it by one after five.

Temple added some insurance in the 6^th as a walk put two on with two out for the Leopards before a three run shot to left gave them some breathing room, up 4-0 at the end of 5 ½.

Once again, Maximiliana and Livingstone found their way on for the Bucs in the 6^th and Basso came through with a single to left to get the Bucs on the board and cut the Temple lead to 4-1, but a strikeout would leave two on for FSW at inning's end as the teams went to the 7^th with the Leopards leading by three.

The Bucs bullpen held the Leopards right there in the top of the 7^th, but it didn't matter as FSW went down in order in their final at bats of the week and their 2026 season as Temple held on to win 4-1 to bring the Bucs campaign to an end.

Livingstone ended her FSW career with another two hit game, finishing the World Series hitting .714. Maximiliana had a hit and scored the Bucs only run of the game in the leadoff spot while Basso had FSW's lone RBI. Kwakernaak was the tough luck loser for the Bucs, allowing just two hits and one run in 3 1/3 in the defeat, but was saddled with the loss to fall to 13-2.

#1 FLORIDA SOUTHWESTERN/#4 TEMPLE BOX SCORE

PHOTO GALLERY BY ROY ALLEN

The Bucs take home a 3^rd place finish at the World Series, finishing the year 57-7. It is the Bucs eighth Top 10 and sixth Top 5 finish all time at the World Series.