WINTER HAVEN – A pivotal Citrus Conference series didn't start the way that Polk State Baseball wanted it to on Thursday night. A ninth-inning run was the difference as Hillsborough College slipped past the Eagles, 5-4.

Javier Calzadilla broke a 4-4 tie with a sacrifice fly in the top of the ninth to give the Hawks their final lead and cap the scoring. After Jaden Nazar walked to open the inning, pinch runner Corey Moore went to third on a Luke Jackson single to set up the winning run.

Except for the first inning, the night belonged to the pitching staffs. After Hillsborough pushed across two runs in the top of the first, Polk State drew even in the bottom of the inning, thanks to a Zach Lester RBI single and an error that allowed Hayden Testerman to score from first and tie the game 2-2.

Polk State (21-16, 9-10 Citrus Conference) took its first lead in the bottom of the third. Bradyn Potter doubled to lead off the inning before scoring the go-ahead run to put the Eagles in front.

The Hawks drew even on a solo home run by Justin Allen in the top of the sixth, but Polk State regained the lead in the bottom of the seventh as Kevin Brunet scored on a passed ball to make it 4-3. Hillsborough drew even on Chase Conti's RBI single in the eighth before taking the lead for good in the ninth.

Potter finished 2-for-4 with a run scored in the loss. In his first Citrus start, Caden Jensen gave Polk State a gritty effort on the mound, allowing just two runs on one hit with four walks and five strikeouts in four innings. Hayden Porter followed by allowing just a run on three hits in three innings of relief.

Jackson finished with two hits for the Hawks. Calzadilla and Allen each had two RBIs. Hunter Maddox went the final four innings, yielding just an unearned run on two hits to pick up the win on the mound for Hillsborough.

With the loss, Polk State falls to seventh place in the Citrus Conference. Hillsborough remains tied with Seminole State College of Florida for fifth. The Eagles and Hawks will wrap up their season series with a doubleheader in Tampa on Saturday.