MIAMI SHORES, Fla.—The Barry Buccaneers used some clutch hitting to knock off the Florida Southern Lady Mocs 4-2 in the first game of their Sunshine State Conference softball series at Buccaneer Field on Friday night.

After spotting the Mocs (11-12, 0-4 SSC) a two-run lead in the first inning on Maggie Roberts two-out, two-run double, the Buccaneers (16-5, 4-0 SSC) got both runs back in the bottom of the first. Dee Espinosa blasted her team-best fourth homer of the season, scoring Megan Copeland, who had led off with a double.

The Bucs broke out on top with a two-run rally with two outs in the fourth. After FSC starter Brandi Jones got a pair of strikeouts to start the inning, Ashley Fernandez laced a single up the middle and Hunter Mars followed with a bad-hop single past Leah Pemberton at second base. Copeland followed with a bunt single down the third-base line to load the bases and Alayna Gallagher delivered the big hit, a double into the left centerfield gap to score Fernandez and Mars.

Haley Wiseman (9-2) made the runs stand up. After getting touched up for a pair of runs in the first inning, the Buccaneer freshman got stronger as the night wore on. She struck out six of the last 11 batters she faced and finished with nine. She allowed the two first inning runs on two hits and a walk, but scattered just four more hits and three walks over the last six innings. Jones (7-5) went the distance for the Mocs. She allowed four runs on six hits and three walks and struck out six.

Copeland led the Bucs with two hits, including a double. Espinosa and Gallagher each drove on two runs. Pemberton led the Mocs with two hits and Roberts had two RBI.

The series concludes on Saturday with a doubleheader at 1:00 pm.