Box Score FORT MYERS – Polk State Baseball led for most of the day on Thursday but couldn't get the lead to hold up. No. 3 Florida SouthWestern State College scored three runs in the eighth to rally past the Eagles, 9-8.
 
Florida SouthWestern trailed 7-6 entering the bottom of the eighth but took the lead without having a ball leaving the infield. The Buccaneers drew even when Jonah St. Antoine was hit by a pitch in the foot with the bases loaded. Chris Walley followed by drawing a five-pitch walk to put the Buccaneers ahead to stay.
 
Following two scoreless innings of relief, Hayden Porter was one out from getting the Eagles to the ninth with the lead. The final four batters he faced, however, combined for three walks and one hit by pitch.
 
Things went from bad to worse for Polk State. Aiden Dolan entered the game and immediately induced a pop-up, but it was dropped on the infield, allowing another run to score and capping the big inning for FSW.
 
The dropped pop would prove big as Polk State tried to mount a rally in the ninth. After Hayden Testerman singled with one out, Zach Lester was hit by a pitch. Jack Muller followed with an RBI double to put the go-ahead run in scoring position.

From there, FSW's Nicholas Lorenz was able to buckle down. He sealed the win and collected the save with consecutive strikeouts of Fabian Gavalo and Leo Suarez.
 
Things started well for Polk State. After a scoreless first inning, Polk State's first hit of the day was a loud one. Kevin Brunet's two-run home run gave the Eagles an early lead.
 
Florida SouthWestern State answered with three runs in the bottom of the inning – all on RBI singles – marking the first time all season that a team scored an earned run against Polk State starter Carson Montsdeoca prior to the fifth. That lead for the Buccaneers, however, would be short-lived.
 
In the top of the third, Lester put the Eagles back in front with a two-run double down the right-field line as Polk State regained the lead, 4-3. Polk State pushed that lead to 7-3 with three runs in the seventh inning. Two came on RBI doubles from Bradyn Potter and Marvin Montenegro.
 
FSW chipped away. Aiden Talarico's two-run home run in the sixth cut the lead in half before the Buccaneers added an unearned run in the seventh to make it 7-6 and the aforementioned three in the bottom of the eighth.
 
At the plate, Josh Cruz finished with two of the nine hits for Polk State and scored twice. Brunet and Testerman also each scored a pair of runs in loss.
 
At the top of the order for FSW, Robbie Demetree and Talarico each had big days with three hits and pair of runs scored apiece. Demetree doubled three times. Talarico finished with three RBIs.

With the defeat, Polk State has now lost consecutive games for the first time this season. The teams will meet in Winter Haven on Saturday for a doubleheader to conclude the series.