CLERMONT, Fla. (May 7, 2023) - In each of the past two seasons, Florida SouthWestern State College's softball team won the ultimate prize, bringing home back-to-back NJCAA Championships. One thing eluded the Buccaneers in both 2021 and 2022, however - the FCSAA Championship Trophy.
The latter was achieved on Sunday when Florida SouthWestern grinded out an 8-2 win over Northwest Florida State College to win the FCSAA Division I Softball Championship and a berth to the NJCAA Division I Softball Championships as the South Atlantic District A Champion.
For the still relatively young Florida SouthWestern program, the win marked the Bucs' third FCSAA Championship, but first since 2018. It will also be their sixth trip to the national tournament.
The eight-team bracket featured five teams in the top 11 nationallly - No. 3 Florida SouthWestern, No. 6 Northwest Florida State, No. 7 College of Central Florida, No. 8 Seminole State College and No. 11 Indian River State College. Those were the last six teams standing in Clermont and, fittingly, the two highest ranked squared off for the FCSAA title and first of two berths to the national tournament, which will take place in Oxford, Ala., later this month.
After a scoreless first inning, Florida SouthWestern delivered consecutive big innings to all but put the game away.
Shenita Tucker tripled home two runs then scored on Carys Platt's single to give the Bucs a 3-0 lead through two innings. The Bucs added four more in the third for a 7-0 advantage. Feline Poot made it 8-0 on a sixth-inning double.
The beneficiary was freshman Lea Chevrier, who got the nod in the circle and promptly twirled a complete game. Her shutout bid was broken up in the seventh when Gyvan Hammons doubled home a pair of runs for Northwest Florida State.
The effort, coupled with an eight-out save in Saturday's win vs. Seminole State, was enough for Chevrier to be named the Tournament's Most Outstanding Pitcher.
Tucker, meanwhile, was named the Most Outstanding Player after batting .700 (7-for-10) over the three games.
FSW's Robert Iamurri was named FCSAA Division I Softball Coach of the Year.