NICEVILLE — Polk State Softball settled for a split on the first day of the NWF Round Robin and season on Friday. After winning a tight contest to open the day, it was defeated by the event host and reigning national champion.
Polk State opened the day by holding off Parkland College, the No. 16 team in the NJCAA Division II Poll, by a score of 6-5.
The Cobras drew first blood with a two-run home run from Lainey Klokkenga in the top of the first. The Eagles wasted little time turning an early 2-0 deficit into a two-run lead.
After
Makenzie Foster singled in the first run for Polk State,
Lacey Osborne hammered the first pitch she saw as a college athlete over the left field fence for a three-run homer. The Eagles never trailed again.
Hayle Peterson bounced back nicely from the rough first inning by keeping Parkland off the scoreboard over the next three innings.
Ciana Vargas' RBI groundout in the bottom of the fourth extended the Polk State lead to 5-2.
Parkland picked up runs in the fifth and sixth innings to cut the deficit to one, but Polk State responded with a big insurance run in the sixth as
Calonnie Holmes' solo home run doubled the lead to 6-4.
After homering in the first and doubling home a run in the fifth, Klokkenga scored on a single by Ava Acton in the seventh to cut the deficit back to one.
Layla Hinojosa was able to settle in and retire the next two batters to earn the two-inning save for Polk State.
Peterson earned the win after allowing three earned runs in five innings. Osborne had two of the six Polk State hits. Klokkenga went 3-for-4 with three RBIs and two runs scored for the Cobras in the loss.
Polk State closed the day with a 6-1 loss to No. 1 Northwest Florida State College.
After the Raiders pushed across the game's first run in the bottom of the first, Polk State (1-1) wasted little time answering. Vargas' RBI single in the second scored Osborne and tied the contest, but the Eagles left the bases loaded.
Northwest Florida State went ahead for good with three runs in the bottom of the third to extend its lead to 4-1. Haley Hughes capped the scoring with a two-run home run in the fourth.
Vargas had two of the three hits for Polk State in the defeat. The Eagles got an outstanding effort out of the bullpen from
Kaylyn Mitchum, who worked 2.1 scoreless innings. Mallory Baker had three hits for Northwest Florida.
Polk State will wrap up its stay in Niceville on Saturday with rematches against both Northwest Florida State and Parkland. The Eagles and Raiders kick off the day at 11 a.m. ET.
