WINTER HAVEN, Fla. - Polk State Baseball was unable to come up clutch in situational hitting, while State College of Florida was able to move runners throughout the night. The Eagles dropped their third straight Citrus Conference contest 9-5.
 
The one- through four-hole hitters for the Manatees (11-5, 2-2 Citrus) hit a collective .526 (10-for-19) with four RBIs and three runs scored, while Polk went 2-for-19 (.105) with eight strikeouts in the same lineup slots.
 
The Manatees jumped out to a 2-0 advantage in the top of the first after consecutive RBI hits by Jalen Hairston and Pip Smalley. Polk State answered in the bottom of the second with a pair of runs via an RBI single by Evan Wainman and RBI ground out from Kelsen Johnson.
 
SCF quickly regained the lead in the top of the third and tacked on another in the top of the fourth to grow its lead to 4-2. An RBI single through the right side in the bottom of the fourth from Nicholas Upperman brought the Eagles within a run.
 
The Manatees opened things up with four unanswered runs off a pair of home runs by Smalley and Hayden Gustavson to take an 8-3 lead. Polk brought the game within four twice in the final few frames but that was as close as the Eagles came to evening the score.
 
Aiden Butler took his first loss of the season, conceding five earned on nine hits over five innings pitched while striking out six. At the plate, Damion Kenealy and Evan Wainman each finished with two hits apiece for Polk.
 
The Eagles look to respond in Saturday's doubleheader in Bradenton vs. SCF. Game times are scheduled for 1 and 4 p.m.