Ft. Myers, FL ---

Santa Fe traveled to Fort Myers to battle the nation's number one team in the Florida SouthWestern State College Bucs.  They ended up on the losing end twice in two closely contested games.  The Saints who are receiving votes in the national poll were strong in the circle in both games, giving up three runs each game.  

In game one of the day, the Saints started the scoring in the top of the first when McKenzie Jewell singled, scoring Karris Rhine to help the Saints to a 1-0 lead.  Rhine notched a triple, and then Brooke Markiewicz followed that with a single to center, knocking Rhine in to give the Saints a 2-0 lead on the #1 Bucs.  The Saints were able to hold Florida SouthWestern scoreless until the bottom of the sixth as Ryleigh Bauer held steady in the circle for six and two-thirds innings.  In the bottom of the sixth, the Bucs were able to tie the game up as they pushed two across the plate.  The Bucs held the Saints scoreless in the seventh after a Hailey Miranda single got the Saints a runner on.  But a pop-up and two consecutive ground-outs sent the game to the bottom of the seventh still tied.  A sacrifice fly with one out in the seventh gave the Bucs the win in the closely contested first game. 

For game two, the Bucs got hot in the bottom of the first and second as they took a two to zero lead into the top of the third.  The Saints were out-hit in game two by five as the Bucs had seven hits and scored three, while Santa Fe was held to two hits and no runs.  The Saints combined for seven strikeouts against the Bucs starter, Lizzy Kwakernaak.  The Saints challenged in the seventh as Olivia LaMeau singled, and pinch runner Laura Pierce came in and was able to advance to third on a Camryn VanGalder single to center.  The Saints couldn't push any cross in a valiant seventh inning effort.

For the day, the Saints scattered 10 hits and scored 2 runs, both coming from Rhine. Multiple Saints had hits, and Markiewicz and Jewell were both credited with an RBI. Santa Fe is now 15-12 on the season and 5-7 in the stacked Citrus Conference. The Saints will be back in action at St. Petersburg on Tuesday, March 11th, with the first pitch set for 2 p.m.