WINTER HAVEN - For the second time this season, Polk State Baseball earned a Suncoast Conference win via a walk-off. A bases-loaded walk drawn by Cole Griffith in the bottom of the ninth earned the Eagles a 3-2 win over St. Petersburg College on Monday night.
 
Pitching was well showcased by both teams on the evening. Staffs for the Eagles (21-12, 6-1 Suncoast) and the Titans (8-19, 2-4 Suncoast) totaled 10 strikeouts each.
 
After Ray Mercer reached on an error earlier in the frame, an RBI groundout by Damion Kenealy later in the bottom of the first scored Mercer and gave the Eagles an early 1-0 lead.
 
St. Petersburg secured two runs on two hits in the top of the third to take a 2-1 lead of its own. 
 
After conceding the pair of runs, Polk starter Trevor Caldwell responded by sitting down seven straight Titans to keep it a one-run deficit for the Eagles.
 
Eagles' closer Ryan Combs had arguably his most electric outing of the season after entering the contest in the top of the sixth with one out. Combs retired nine of the 10 batters he faced. The only baserunner to reach against Combs, Brett Wagner, was thrown out at second trying to stretch out a single by Griffith in left field.
 
"We had incredible efforts on the mound today by Caldwell and Combs," said Polk State Head Coach Al Corbeil. "The way they competed kept us in the game and our dugout fed off their performances."
 
The Eagles found the equalizer in the bottom of the sixth when Travis Stapleton doubled to left field and brought Kenealy across the plate to even things up 2-2. The Eagles disrupted a streak of 10 straight batters retired by SPC starter Manuel Meilan earlier in the frame.
 
After back-to-back strikeouts in the bottom of the ninth, Roberto Odor worked a walk to get aboard. Following Odor, J'Quann Smith was hit by the first pitch offered to him. Mercer then loaded the bases with an infield single to third base.
 
Returning from injury in his first contest played since Feb. 8, Griffith drew a four-pitch walk with the bases loaded to send home the winning run in Odor.
 
"The dugout energy was incredible today," added Corbeil. "This team is finding a way to win games and these guys support each other well in doing so."
 
Combs improved to 4-1 on the mound this season with the win.
 
The Eagles look to clinch their second Suncoast series win in St. Petersburg on Wednesday. First pitch is set for 5 p.m.