Box Score GAINESVILLE – In a matchup of two of the hottest teams in the state of Florida, Santa Fe College needed 10 innings to top Polk State Baseball on Monday afternoon, 3-2.
Zeth Rodriguez's walk-off single in the bottom of the 10th lifted the Saints to the season sweep of Polk State. Until that point, the Eagles (9-7) never trailed.
On the mound, Polk State got a brilliant start from lefty Jaydon Bishop. Bishop worked into the eighth inning and allowed just an unearned run. He allowed just three hits and three walks while striking out three in 7.1 innings of work.
In a contest dominated by pitching, the runs throughout the day were a product of miscues in the field and productive outs. Tied 1-1 through seven innings, Nelson Taylor put Polk State up in the top of the eighth with an RBI single to score pinch-runner Everett Martin after Aaron Stelogeannis executed a sacrifice bunt earlier in the inning.
It looked as though Polk State reliever Ryan Combs was out of the bottom of the inning, but a fielding error with two outs allowed the Saints to tie the game. The leader for the Eagles in wins and saves coming in, Combs took the loss despite not allowing an earned run.
The game's first run came in the third inning as Ray Bermudez singled home Stelogeannis after a sacrifice bunt from Taylor moved him into scoring position. Both teams finished with five hits.
Santa Fe evened the game in the bottom of the fourth as Cory Filley executed an RBI squeeze for the second out. The Saints had a baserunner reach earlier in the inning on a strikeout.
For Polk State, the loss snaps a four-game winning streak. The Eagles will take on St. John's River State College on Tuesday and Wednesday in a home-and-home. The teams will meet at Bing Tyus Yard at 5 p.m. on Tuesday.