Box Score WINTER HAVEN, Fla. - The day after seeing a six-run lead erased on its home field, Polk State Baseball overcame an even greater deficit at Bing Tyus Yard on Wednesday night. Trailing 9-0 entering the bottom of the second, the Eagles scored 12 unanswered runs at the plate and freshman right-handed pitcher Aiden Butler retired 12 straight batters out of the bullpen, as Polk rallied to defeat Indian River State College, 13-10.
 
The Eagles (12-10) scored their 13 runs on 16 hits and overcame five errors that were all committed in the first two frames; the Pioneers (13-5) crossed 10 on eight hits and had three errors.
 
Indian River took advantage of those early Polk miscues to build the nine-run lead entering the bottom of the second. Polk State starting pitcher Jaydon Bishop only went 1.1 innings on the mound. However, only two of his nine runs allowed were earned.
 
Butler came out of the bullpen to pick up Bishop and the Eagles in a mighty way. The North Florida Christian graduate tossed five shutout innings of relief, during which he had a stretch of 12 consecutive Pioneers retired. Butler would go on to earn the winning decision with six strikeouts over six innings tossed and just three hits allowed.
 
The dynamic relief performance on the mound by Butler sparked confidence in the Polk State lineup. The Eagles steadily strung together hits throughout the remainder of the contest, scoring in six consecutive frames from the bottom of the second on.
 
Five players had multi-hit games for Polk and four recorded multiple RBIs. Freshman designated hitter Pierce Glading led the way for the Eagles, going 4-for-5 at the plate with three doubles and two runs batted in. Freshman third baseman Damion Kenealy went 3-for-5 with two doubles and an RBI.
 
"It was great to see our guys respond and put together so many quality, unselfish at-bats," said Polk State Head Coach Al Corbeil. "Aiden was excellent on the mound and gave us a chance. It was a complete team effort and I am very proud of this group tonight."
 
An infield RBI single by Evan Wainman in the bottom of the fifth pulled the Eagles ahead of the Pioneers, 10-9. It's a lead they would not relinquish.
 
Kenealy would prove to be a pivotal contributor on the mound as well as in the batter's box, as he was called upon in the top of the eighth to close out the game. The Pasadena, Md. native allowed just one hit to earn his first save of the season.
 
The Eagles look to carry momentum over to a rematch with RV Florida SouthWestern State College on Friday in Fort Myers at 2 p.m.