For the second straight year, Florida SouthWestern State College baseball is back in the state Final Four — but this time, the Buccaneers believe they have what it takes to go all the way.
“We’re the only team in the state that’s going back to the Final Four from last year,” head coach Zac Cole said. “So we’re pretty excited about that.”
Ranked No. 6 in the country, FSW (41-14) had to fight through adversity just to return. After dropping their regional opener to Pensacola State, the Bucs rattled off back-to-back elimination-game wins to keep their season alive.
It’s not the first time they’ve had to respond. A key late-season sweep at home nearly derailed their title hopes — but instead, it became fuel.
“We lost a doubleheader here to Eastern Florida that kind of put us in a precarious situation,” Cole said. “And we won 13 of our last 15 to win the league.”
That league title — the Citrus Conference championship — was the program’s first. The Bucs finished the regular season with the top pitching, offense and defense in the state.
“When you look at all those things together, I think it says the Bucs had a pretty good year,” Cole said.
One of the players helping fuel the postseason push is freshman pitcher Cole Greer, who joined the team midseason.
“These guys made me feel like I was in a family,” Greer said. “I just love all the boys — I don’t want it to end yet.”
FSW opens the Final Four against rival State College of Florida on Friday at 1 p.m. at Charlotte Sports Park in Port Charlotte. It’s a familiar place for several Bucs, including Canterbury alum and FSW sophomore Michael McAloose.
“Growing up I played travel tournaments there,” McAloose said. “So to be able to play back where I used to play when I was younger is pretty cool.”
FSW has never reached the JUCO World Series in Grand Junction, Colorado. Now just three wins away, the belief is stronger than ever.
“Somebody’s going to have to come to Southwest Florida and beat the Bucs,” Cole said.