WINTER HAVEN — Polk State Softball rode the contrasting pitching styles of Donnea Allen and Jamie Reinhardt to a doubleheader sweep of Oakland Community College in its home opener on Friday afternoon.
 
In the first game, "Dee" Allen used 13 strikeouts to work around traffic on the base paths as the Eagles (6-2) outlasted the Owls, 8-5. In the second game, Reinhardt pitched to contact in a three-hit shutout as Polk State cruised to a 5-0 victory.
 
"They both do what they do," Head Coach Kevin Lewis said. "Dee throws hard and racks up a lot of strikeouts while Jamie is crafty — a crafty lefty. It's really nice to be able to mix it up. As a hitter, I wouldn't want to face it."
 
Polk State trailed 2-1 in the third inning of the first game before going ahead for good with three runs. Allen helped herself by singling and stealing second before scoring on Nayeli Hernandez's double to centerfield to tie the game at two.
 
Reinhardt, who started the first game in right field, tripled home Hernandez to put Polk State ahead to stay. She scored on an RBI groundout by Jillian Hudson.
 
"I'm so proud of this team," Hernandez said. "Everyone works hard. Everyone cheers each other on."
 
Oakland Community twice closed to within one, but each time, the Polk State offense created breathing room. After the Owls closed to with a run in the top of the fourth, the Eagles answered with two runs in the bottom of the inning as Hernandez's single to right field rolled between the fielder's legs and all the way to the wall, allowing both Allen and Hernandez to score.
 
In the sixth, Oakland's Makayla Lezotte doubled home a run before scoring on a passed ball to cut the Polk State lead to 6-5. Hernandez answered with a two-run single in the bottom of the frame to extend the lead back to three.
 
Allen worked a scoreless seventh to close out the first game. Allen allowed four earned runs on six hits with 10 walks.
 
Hernandez finished 3-for-4 with four RBIs, two runs scored, and a stolen base in the win. Allen was 2-for-2 with three steals and three runs scored. Kagan Dudney added two hits, an RBI, and a stolen base, giving the Eagles five steals for the game.
 
"We love stealing bases," Hernandez said. "It brings the whole team up and gives us momentum."
 
In the second game, most of the Polk State offense came early. Batting as the visiting team, the Eagles scored four runs in the top of the first.
 
Reinhardt's two-run single scored Hernandez and Natalie Hires to get the scoring started. Reinhardt would score on an infield single by Ray Hansen. A throwing error allowed Jillian Hudson to score as well.
 
That would be all the offense that Reinhardt needed. In the circle, the freshman induced 12 groundball outs, including five that she fielded herself.
 
"I just wanted to come in and throw strikes," she said. "I wanted to let my defense behind me do the work."
 
Reinhardt struck out just two for the game and none before the sixth inning. She allowed just three singles and no walks. Not a single Oakland hitter reached scoring position.
 
Following the big first inning, Polk State didn't score again until the sixth. After Rylee Christmas singled to start the inning, Allen, who came in as a pinch runner, stole second before coming around to score on an RBI single from Hernandez.
 
"We made some mistakes in the first game," Lewis noted. "They come back to haunt you. The second game was much cleaner. We preach and preach the importance of playing a clean game."
 
Hernandez finished with three more hits in the second game to go with two more steals. Hudson's third inning double served as the lone extra-base hit of the game for the Eagles.
 
"I was so excited for our home opener," Reinhardt said. "It's great to get the sweep."
 
Polk State was expected to begin the home schedule on Sunday against North Idaho College, but rain forced a cancelation of the doubleheader. The Eagles will remain home on Sunday to take on University of Bridgeport JV for a doubleheader. Start times are set for 1 p.m. and 3 p.m.
 
"We've been going all over the place – playing in Clearwater early in the morning, then going down to Miami," Lewis added. "It's nice to get to play at home for once."