WINTER HAVEN – For the third year in a row, Polk State Baseball has qualified for the FCSAA Tournament. One thing the Eagles won't be doing, however, is taking it for granted.

The Eagles finished the regular season with a record of 32-21 and as runners-up in the Suncoast Conference. They clinched the postseason appearance with a thrilling 4-3 win over St. Petersburg College in 11 innings on April 19. Polk State will take on Panhandle Conference champion Northwest Florida State College in a best-of-three regional, beginning on Friday.

"It's something special to go to the tournament three years in a row," said Caidan Peeples, a third-year sophomore pitcher. "There are a lot of college baseball players who hope to do this once in their careers. Hopefully, the third time is the charm for us. I really feel like this is the year that we do something special."

Polk State's journey to the FCSAA Tournament has not been an easy one. The Eagles' season began with five straight losses – the worst start under 13th-year Head Coach Al Corbeil. By mid-February, they had a winning record. Polk State has also battled a slew of injuries throughout the season.

"Baseball is a funny game," Corbeil said. "You're always an injury or two away from going from one of the better teams to one of the worst. This has been a testing year with the injuries we've had. Maybe that's prepared our freshmen a little better."

Last season, the Eagles were swept in two games at Miami Dade College. For sophomore pitcher Jaydon Bishop, this year's tournament is a chance for redemption. A first-team All-Suncoast Conference pitcher last year, Bishop took the loss while allowing four earned runs in 2 1/3 innings in last season's finale as Polk State was eliminated with a 10-1 loss to the Sharks.

"To be here means a lot," he said. "From the beginning of the season, I knew we had a good chance to get back here. I'm going in with a little bit of salt. Part of me wants to win for last year's team, too.

"We still have some things to work on," Bishop added. "I'm confident that by the time we get to the field, we'll be alright."

While players such as Peeples and Bishop are excited about the return trip to the FCSAA Tournament, others are making their first postseason appearances at the collegiate level. Catcher Travis Stapleton played at the University of North Florida last season. The Ospreys finished just 22-33, falling well short of the NCAA Tournament.

"I think I'm most excited for the playoff atmosphere," Stapleton said. "You don't always get to experience that in college. We're getting a lot of guys back from injury at the right time. We have a great chance to get hot and win some games."

For freshman pitcher Aiden Butler, the trip to Niceville is something of a homecoming. A native of Tallahassee, friends and family will be making the 150-mile trip to watch him make his postseason debut. The winner of the regional will advance to the semifinals at Publix Field at Joker Marchant Stadium in Lakeland.

"A lot of my family and friends will be up there," Butler said. "I'm looking forward to it and hopefully winning and getting to Lakeland. We play together as a team, and we've got the job done this season when it really matters."

Northwest Florida State clinched its conference championship on Sunday with a doubleheader sweep of Gulf Coast State College. As the teams open the regional on Friday, Polk State will aim for its first win in the state tournament since 2017.

"I've tried to stress to these guys to never take this opportunity for granted," Corbeil added. "Hopefully, we can go out and play a good brand of Polk State baseball."