MELBOURNE – Polk State Softball came up short in its doubleheader on Tuesday. The bats got going a little too late as the Eagles were swept by Eastern Florida State College.
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Eastern Florida State needed just five innings to take down Polk State in the first game of the doubleheader, 10-2.
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The Titans pushed across three runs in the bottom of the first, but the Eagles had an answer. In the top of the second,
Calonnie Holmes ripped a two-run double in the gap, scoring
Emma Kaylor and
Ciana Vargas.
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That's as close as Polk State would get. Eastern Florida's Avery Velazquez's three-run triple extended the lead to 6-2 in the bottom of the second. After adding a run in the third, the Titans put it away with three in the fifth. Velazquez's two-run single ended the contest.
Kirsten Aldridge had two of the six hits for Polk State. Aracelis Jimenez finished 4-for-4 with two runs scored and an RBI for Eastern Florida. Velazquez had five RBIs.
In the second game, Polk State's two-out rally in the seventh inning came up short as it fell, 7-4.
Trailing 7-1 entering the seventh, the Eagles (7-15, 1-7 Citrus Conference) were down to their last out with no one on base. When all was said and done, Polk State was one base runner shy of bringing the tying run to the plate.
Leia Hurst started the rally with a single before Kaylor drew a walk. Vargas followed with an RBI double to cut the deficit to 7-2. Holmes then ripped a two-run single. With Aldridge, the team's home run leader on deck, Shyla de Latour popped out to end the game.
Down 6-0 in the sixth, it was de Lautour who broke up the shutout with an RBI single, scoring Vargas. Vargas and Holmes each finished with two hits. Vargas scored two of the four Polk State runs.
Annalyn Duncan finished 3-for-4 with two RBIs for Eastern Florida State. Velazquez gave the Titans five shutout innings in the circle.
Polk State will play its final non-conference games of the season on Thursday when it takes part in The Spring Games. The Eagles will host a pair of out-of-state opponents.
