Box Score TAMPA – Polk State Baseball's stay atop the Citrus Conference standings will last at least until the weekend. In a battle of teams with winning conference records, the Eagles took care of business on Thursday with a 9-2 road win over Hillsborough Community College.

Simon Scharff's RBI triple got the scoring started and served as the only hit for Polk State (15-11, 7-3 Citrus) during a three-run second inning. Kenay Acevedo and Andy Schroeder each drew bases-loaded walks in the frame.

On the mound for the Eagles, JT Long continued to do what aces do. Long allowed just two unearned runs on three hits and two walks in six strong innings. The 6-foot-7 right-hander finished with eight strikeouts to run his FCSAA-leading total to 55.

The Hawks were able to get on the scoreboard with a run in the third, but the Eagles responded with a pair in the fifth. Hillsborough scored in the bottom half of the inning before a four-run seventh for Polk State turned the contest into a rout. The Eagles took advantage of a couple of Hillsborough errors before Jordan Thomas highlighted the inning with an RBI triple.

In the field, the contest was hardly a thing of beauty as the teams combined for 10 errors, leading to seven total unearned runs. Polk State, however, swung the bats well, finishing with eight hits. It also showed good patience at the dish, drawing 10 walks.

Zach Lester finished 3-for-4 with a pair of runs scored. Scharff and Josh Cruz each finished with two runs scored and a pair of RBIs. Thomas added two hits in the victory.

After a bit of an unlucky start to the year, Long has now picked up wins in three of his last four starts and is tied with reliever Aiden Alvarez for the team lead in wins. Alvarez and Roman Corinti each worked 1-2-3 innings out of the bullpen on Thursday. Corinti went back out in the ninth and worked around a two-out error to throw another scoreless inning.

Since a 3-7 start, Polk State has now won 12 of its last 16 games. Polk State can win its fourth straight Citrus Conference series by winning at least once during Saturday's home doubleheader with Hillsborough Community. The first game is scheduled for 1 p.m.