WINTER HAVEN, Fla. - Polk State Baseball secured a second straight Citrus Conference series victory with a 5-4 defeat of College of Central Florida in game one of Saturday's twin bill. However, the Eagles were unable to secure the sweep, dropping the series finale to the Patriots, 11-7.
 
With the completion of the series, the Eagles (19-14, 8-7 Citrus) currently sit at fifth place in the Citrus standings.
 
GAME ONE: Polk State 5, Central Florida 4
 
The Eagles took game one of the doubleheader despite being out-hit by the Patriots 9-3.
 
Polk State took advantage of two walks, two hit by pitches, and an error in centerfield within the first two frames to scratch across four runs during that stretch. An Aris Rivera sacrifice fly put the Eagles on the board in the bottom of the first. In the bottom of the second, Kelsen Johnson singled home Liam O'Neil, who reached earlier in the inning on an error, to make it 2-0 Polk.
 
Roberto Odor moved Pierce Glading from third to home later in the frame via a sac bunt to make it 3-0. Damion Kenealy capped off the early runs with an RBI single to right that scored Johnson.
 
Edwin Toribio drove in all four runs for Central Florida. A two-run homer to left center in the top of the third cut the deficit in half 4-2. In the top of the fourth, Toribio tied the game with a two-RBI double off the right field wall.
 
It was a Central Florida miscue in the bottom of the fifth that Polk State capitalized on for the go-ahead run, as Kenealy crossed home on a wild pitch.
 
Evan Koehler competed on the mound for Polk in the seven-inning contest, allowing four earned while walking just one and striking out five innings. He improved to 3-3 on the season with the win.
 
JT Long locked down another victory for the Eagles at the backend, tossing two frames of one-hit baseball to secure his FCSAA-leading seventh save of the season.
 
GAME TWO: Central Florida 11, Polk State 7
 
Polk slugged the ball proficiently in game two, plating six runs on eight hits through the first five innings to hold a 6-0 lead.
 
However, the Patriots pounced on the Eagles' bullpen, plating 11 runs between the top of the sixth and seventh frames, including an eight-run seventh, to flip the script. Polk only mustered a single run to add to its total after the fifth inning.
 
Kenealy and Greg Pettay each went 3-for-5 at the plate in the loss, with Kenealy driving in a run. O'Neil belted his team-leading fourth home run of the season to right field on a 3-0 count in the bottom of the second.
 
Trevor Caldwell allowed three earned on four hits, walked two, and struck out one over 5.2 innings pitched in the no decision. Freshman arms Gavin Dicks and Jackson Graden ended the game with a bright spot on the mound for Polk, compiling a combined 2.2 innings of shutout baseball and striking out a collective five batters to close out the game.
 
Polk State now takes a brief pause from Citrus play on Tuesday to host Warner University (B). First pitch is set for 5 p.m.