Baseball 5/1/2024 9:10:00 AM Polk State Athletics

Polk State Baseball-NWF to square off in regional round for second straight year

NICEVILLE – Call it déjà vu, but Polk State Baseball and Northwest Florida State College will kick off the FCSAA Tournament against one another for the second year in a row.

The teams will begin the best-of-three Niceville Regional on Friday at the NWF Baseball Complex. The Eagles and Raiders went the distance in last year's Niceville Regional that ended in thrilling fashion.

"It's super exciting to experience that atmosphere again and to play the same team," Polk State sophomore starting pitcher Trevor Caldwell said. "To get a chance at revenge is something we're really looking forward to."

The underdog Eagles took the first game of the regional last season 5-3 behind a stellar start from pitcher Evan Koehler. Polk State dropped the second game before rallying from an 8-0 deficit to take the lead in the decisive third game. Ultimately, a walk-off three-run home run from Northwest Florida State's Blake Cavill sent the Raiders to the final site of the FCSAA Tournament and the Eagles home.

"Throughout last season, we never reached what we felt was our full potential," sophomore infielder Aaron Stelogeannis said. "Down 8-0, a lot of teams would have folded. Instead, we fought and came home with a lot of pride. We felt like that was who we were. If we can find what last year's team found (in Niceville), I like our chances."

"We would have been focused no matter where we went or who we played," sophomore catcher Aris Rivera said. "That's a great environment against a great team with a great coach. We're excited to go back."

Polk State clinched a fourth straight berth in the FCSAA Tournament last week with an 8-4 win over Florida SouthWestern State College. It wasn't until the final day of the regular season on Saturday that the Eagles punched their ticket to the regional round.

"Being able to come in here and compete and to continue the program's proud name and to honor the coaches and players who have come through here means a lot," Koehler said. "Being out there in that postseason environment with my teammates is a once-in-a-lifetime experience. The grind and all the hard work we've put in has led up to this."

This season marks the 10th FCSAA Tournament appearance for Polk State under Head Coach Al Corbeil. The No. 7 seed in the FCSAA Tournament, the Eagles will head to Niceville with a record of 33-23 after finishing fifth in the Citrus Conference with an 18-15 record in conference. Since a 12-14 start, the Eagles have won 21 of their last 30 games.

"Any time you accomplish something as a team, there's a sense of satisfaction," Corbeil said. "That's why you put in all the work on the field, in the cages, and in the weightroom. I feel good about our chances."

No. 6 Northwest Florida State, the FCSAA's second seed, finished as FCSAA runner-up last season to eventual national champion College of Central Florida. Led by Head Coach Doug Martin, the Raiders finished with a 31-13 record during the regular season in 2024 and won the Panhandle Conference, finishing one game better than second place Chipola College.

"We're proud to play for Polk State," Rivera noted. "We might not be the most talented team, but we have each other, and we believe we can hang with any team in the state."

A big strength for Polk State this season has been its starting pitching. Koehler, Aiden Butler, and Caldwell, all sophomores, each have an ERA below four. With eight wins apiece, Koehler and Butler are tied for third in the FCSAA in victories. Freshman closer JT Long leads the FCSAA with 10 saves to go with a 4-0 record and stellar 1.49 ERA.

"I'm ready to compete," Caldwell said. "My mentality is I hope I get to ball. I want the opportunity to pitch how I know I can pitch with my season on the line."

At the plate, sophomore infielder Damion Kenealy leads the Eagles in several offensive categories, including batting average (.353), doubles (16), triples (2), RBIs (45), on-base percentage (.419), and slugging percentage (.536). Pierce Glading has been a dependable bat, hitting .322 for the year. Infielder Greg Pettay has provided the speed with a team-high 21 stolen bases. Sophomore first baseman Evan Wainman is hitting .284 and ranks third on the team in homers (3) and second in RBIs (36).

"It was a different environment than we were used to last year," Koehler said. "The adrenaline was pumping and we were ready to go. Being able to understand that environment, that pressure, and seeing how close we were last year definitely makes us excited to get the opportunity to go back."

Northwest Florida State's Cayden Gaskin enters the FCSAA Tournament hitting a state-best .421. Mack Estrada (8-1, 3.52 ERA) and Alex Walsh (5-1, 3.42 ERA) have anchored the pitching staff for the Raiders.

"It was tough being one pitch away from the final four with a young club last year," Corbeil added. "Being that close was a big blow, but it was exciting, and I hope we learned something from that experience. We've had a lot of postseason matchups with Northwest Florida over the years and they've all been really intense games."