Box Score BRADENTON — Polk State Baseball will settle for a runner-up finish in the Suncoast Conference this season. State College of Florida-Manatee routed the Eagles on Saturday to clinch the conference crown, 21-4.

After the Manatees pushed across two runs in the first inning, Polk State drew even in the second. Roberto Odor's two-run double knotted the score at 2-2.

Any momentum that the Eagles had, however, was short-lived. Kevin Karstetter's two-run home run highlighted a four-run second inning for State College of Florida.

Damion Kenealy's solo home run in the fourth cut the lead to 6-3. The Manatees answered with three runs in the bottom of the inning.

Polk State put two runners in scoring position in the fifth with one out but could get nothing out of the inning. The Manatees responded with 11 runs in the bottom of the frame to put the game out of reach.

Kenealy capped the scoring for Polk State (31-20, 13-9 Suncoast Conference) with his second solo homer in the sixth. Kenealy had the lone multi-hit game for the Eagles. The Manatees finished with 19 hits in the victory.

With the loss, Polk State falls to 1-5 against SCF this season. Three of those defeats have been run rules.

The runner-up finish means that the Eagles will begin the FCSAA Tournament on the road. Polk State will host SCF in the final home game of the year on Monday. The contest is scheduled for 5 p.m.