Box Score WINTER HAVEN — An eight-run sixth inning in the second game of Tuesday's doubleheader propelled Polk State Softball past No. 11 Seminole State College of Florida and to its second win over a nationally ranked opponent in four days, 13-9.
The Eagles trailed 7-5 entering the bottom of the sixth inning of the nightcap. The first six hitters reached in the inning for Polk State.Â
Calonnie Holmes doubled to open the inning before scoring on a Shyla de Lautour single to cut the deficit to 7-6. Kirsten Aldridge and Lacey Osborne followed with RBI doubles to give the Eagles the lead.Â
Following a Makenzie Foster single and a Thea Williams walk to load the bases, Leia Hurst and Savanah Ford responded with productive outs that chased home runs to extend the lead to 10-7. Holmes put the exclamation point on the eight-run frame with a three-run home run to cap the scoring for Polk State. Seminole State scored twice in the seventh but was two base runners away from bringing the tying run to the plate.
Down 1-0 in the bottom of the second, Polk State took its first lead on a two-run home run off the bat of Leia Hurst. Ciana Vargas scored later in the inning following a de Lautour single.
The Raiders answered with five straight runs. Sophia Vanderkooy's solo home run to lead off the fourth put Seminole State back in front. Emma Bastian added a two-run double later in the inning.
Down 6-3, Polk State clawed to within one in the fourth with an RBI double from de Lautour and an RBI single from Aldridge. The Raiders added a run in the fifth.
The top three hitters in the Polk State lineup — Holmes, de Lautour and Aldridge — each finished with three hits and three RBIs. Holmes scored three times. Vargas was 2-for-4 with three runs scored. Hurst finished with two hits and two RBIs.
Bastian went 2-for-4 with three RBIs for the Raiders. Vanderkooy had three hits in the loss. Julianna Nieves also homered.
Polk State was in front through four innings in the first game but Seminole State scored seven straight runs to pull away for a 7-3 win.
The Eagles (11-17, 3-9 Citrus Conference) drew first blood with two runs in the first, courtesy of RBI singles from Aldridge and Thea Williams. The Raiders got on the board in the third before going in front with four runs in the fifth. Skyler Cloud's two-run single and Makayla Nieves' two-run double highlighted the frame.
Julianna Nieves added a two-run homer in the top of the seventh for Seminole State. An Aldridge sacrifice fly to score Vargas in the bottom of the inning capped the scoring for Polk State.
Holmes and Williams each finished with two hits in the loss. Cloud and the Nieves duo each finished with two hits for Seminole State.
Since a rough start, Polk State has won four of its last six games. The Eagles aim for their first true road win of the season on Friday when they visit Hillsborough College for a doubleheader.
