Box Score NICEVILLE — Even in heartbreaking defeat, 2023 Polk State Baseball affirmed one thing on Sunday — it can not be counted out. The Eagles erased an early seven-run deficit before Northwest Florida State College mounted a rally of its own with Blake Cavill's three-run walk-off home run sending Polk State home with a 14-11 defeat.


The Eagles (33-23) trailed 8-1 entering the fifth inning before Roberto Odor's first home run of the season jumpstarted the Polk State offense. After two-run doubles from Damion Kenealy and Pierce Glading, Odor capped a six-run inning with an RBI single.

Odor would give Polk State the lead in the seventh with an RBI single following a game-tying RBI triple from Aris Rivera. Ray Bermudez capped a four-run frame with a long two-run single.

"This was a phenomenal environment for postseason baseball and the guys got an opportunity to feast in it," Head Coach Al Corbeil said. "They battled all day — from down seven to take the lead."

Ryan Combs took the loss but gave a valiant effort in relief. After working two innings to get the save on Friday night, Combs threw 5.2 innings on Sunday after Aiden Butler got the start.

"What a gutsy performance," Corbeil said of his closer. "He's been our guy all year. We've kind of lived and died with him. We were one play or maybe a call away from Tigertown."

The Raiders managed to cut the deficit to one with two runs in the eighth. Colby Jones' solo home run accounted for the first run for Northwest Florida State since the fourth. It would add a second run on a wild pitch. A diving catch by Bermudez in left field on a sinking liner with a runner in scoring position ended the inning.

The Eagles took a 11-10 lead into the final inning and were one strike away from victory. Jones came up clutch with the game-tying single before Cavill's blast ended the contest. Northwest Florida State will move on to Lakeland for the FCSAA Tournament semifinals.

The Eagles got the scoring started with an RBI single from Glading in the first inning. The Raiders tied the game with a run in the bottom of the inning and one in the third before opening things up with a six-run fourth.

Back-to-back RBI triples from Paul Winland and Scott Mulder highlighted the big inning. Six Raiders finished with multi-hit games. Cavill (4), Jones (3), and Mulder (3) combined for 10 of Northwest Florida's 18 hits. Cavill added five RBIs and three runs scored.

Glading finished 3-for-5 with three RBIs and two runs scored in the loss. Odor went 2-for-2 with two runs scored and two RBIs. Ray Mercer and Nelson Taylor also each scored two runs for the Eagles.

"I'm really proud of these guys," Corbeil concluded. "They're great kids. They battled. We have 11 sophomores going on to four-year schools and 13 freshmen who just got a taste of postseason baseball. They have a lot to hold their head high about."