Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 AVON PARK — As was the case in its last road doubleheader, Polk State Softball settled for a split in a pair of 1-run games. After falling in extra innings to open Tuesday night, the Eagles held off South Florida State College to remain at .500 for the year.

Polk State took a 6-2 lead to the bottom of the seventh in the second game. The Panthers pushed three runs across and put the tying run in scoring position, but pitcher Kyra Ward was able to retire the final three batters to end the game and pick up her third win of the year as the Eagles held on, 6-5.

The Eagles trailed 2-1 through three innings before Chelsi Rae' Hebert's solo home run — the first for a Polk State player this season — evened the game. Polk went ahead for good with four runs in the sixth.

The frame started with singles from Emma Hart, Hebert, and Kanitria Antenor before Alma Fernandez drew a walk. Baileigh Herrera and Suheily Mercado each recorded RBI groundouts in the inning.

Hebert and Antenor each scored twice for Polk State. Hebert finished 3-for-4 at the plate in the victory. Kailey Guethle added an RBI double in the win.

Despite pitching well over the final 5-plus innings, Guethle took the loss in the first game. A fielding error allowed Kaedyn Holcomb to score the walk-off run as South Florida State won in eight innings, 4-3.

Herrera lasted just two innings in the circle, but tied the game at 2 apiece in the third inning with an RBI double. Hebert doubled home Mercado to give the Eagles a 3-2 lead in the fourth before the Panthers drew even in the fifth.

Hebert, Antenor, Fernandez, Herrera, and Mercado each had two hits for the Eagles in the opener. Jillian Hudson had the only other hit for Polk State in the loss.

With the split, Polk State moves to 7-7 on the season. The Eagles will return home for a doubleheader against Eastern Florida State College on Thursday.