WINTER HAVEN — After winning a pitchers' duel on Friday, Polk State Baseball never could get the bats going in its series with Miami Dade College. The Eagles concluded the series by dropping both games of Saturday's doubleheader.
Polk State never led in either game. The Eagles got a solid effort from Roman Corinti in the first game but managed just four hits for the second game in a row in a 4-1 loss in a seven-inning contest.
After a scoreless first inning, the Sharks went ahead for good with consecutive RBI doubles in the second. Polk State got its lone run in the bottom of the inning as Josh Cruz singled home Jack Muller.
Miami Dade scored runs in the third and fourth innings. A double from Kustarr Webb in the fifth served as the only Polk State hit the rest of the way. Despite that, the Eagles used a pair of walks to bring the tying run to the plate in the seventh but Marvin Montenegro grounded into a fielder's choice to end the game.
Corinti went all seven innings, allowing three earned runs on six hits with one walk and seven strikeouts. Samuel Alonso also went the distance for Miami Dade. Jendy Gonzalez and Denixon Suarez each went 2-for-3 for the Sharks. Gonzalez hit a solo home run in the third inning.
Polk State fell in the second game, 7-2.
Miami Dade went ahead for good with three runs — all on RBI doubles — in the first inning. The Eagles, however, were able to claw to within one.
After Zach Lester singled home Bradyn Potter in the bottom of the first, Muller scored Montenegro with an RBI single of his own in the third to cut the lead to 3-2. That was all the offense the Eagles could muster.
Miami Dade took advantage of Polk State (26-20, 13-14 Citrus Conference) errors with two unearned runs in both the fourth and sixth innings. Six of Miami Dade's seven runs were unearned.
Ronald Causby took the loss despite allowing just one earned run in four innings. Anthony Schatz also had a strong outing on the mound, striking out four in three innings of relief.
Cruz finished 2-for-4 for Polk State in the loss. Muller drew three walks and reached base four times.
On the mound for Miami Dade, Jeffred Fermin allowed just one earned run in seven innings. At the plate, Willy Mendez went 3-for-5 with two runs scored and an RBI. Leamsi Montanez was also 3-for-5, adding an RBI.
With just two weeks left in the regular season, Polk State will be idle until Thursday. It will travel to Ocala to take on College of Central Florida.
