Box Score 1 |
Box Score 2 WINTER HAVEN — Polk State Softball led No. 1 Florida SouthWestern State College in both games of the doubleheader on Saturday but was unable to avoid the sweep.
The top-ranked Buccaneers needed just five innings to take the first game, 10-2.
Polk State jumped to an early 2-0 lead on
Nayeli Hernandez's two-run single in the second. That lead, however, was short-lived.
FSW went ahead for good with four runs in the third before adding five in the fourth and one in the fifth. Four Polk State errors led to three unearned runs for Florida SouthWestern.
In addition to Hernandez,
Jamie Reinhardt and
Karyna Lewis added hits for the Eagles. Virginia Mambelli finished 2-for-3 with two runs scored and three RBIs for the Buccaneers.
FSW completed the doubleheader sweep with a 12-7 victory in the second game. After Polk State rallied from four runs down to draw even, Florida SouthWestern used a two-run fifth to go in front for good.
Noelani Livingstone's RBI fielder's choice put the Buccaneers ahead to stay. In the sixth, Mambelli extended the lead to 10-7 with a solo home run. Skylar Brennan added a two-run blast in the seventh to cap the scoring.
Polk State (19-18, 6-12 Citrus Conference) scored unearned runs in each of the first two innings to take an early 2-1 lead. For the second straight game, FSW went ahead with a four-run third inning.Â
After Polk State pitcher
Tessa Anderson retired the first two hitters in the inning, six straight Buccaneers reached base. Emily Allegood's RBI double put Florida SouthWestern ahead 3-2 before it plated two more runs. It added two runs in the fourth to extend the lead to 7-3.
The Eagles scored runs in each of the first three innings without a hit before Hernandez broke up the no-hitter with an RBI double as Polk State drew even during a four-run fourth inning.Â
A sixth FSW error allowed Hernandez to score to cut the deficit to 7-5 later in the inning.
Leia Hurst then came through with an RBI single to make it 7-6.
Veronica Fernandez followed with an RBI single of her own to tie the game.
Fernandez finished with two RBIs in the loss. Reinhardt scored twice in the loss. Brennan and Allegood each had four hits for the Buccaneers.
Polk State will continue its gauntlet of a Citrus Conference schedule on Tuesday at No. 6 Miami Dade College. Game times are scheduled for 2 p.m. and 4 p.m.
