WINTER HAVEN – Polk State Softball had a tough time finding momentum on Tuesday as the Eagles were swept in the doubleheader by No. 12 Eastern Florida State College.
Polk State dropped the first game, 11-4.
The Titans wasted little time seizing control, thanks to early two-run home runs from Avery Velazquez and Annalyn Duncan. Eastern Florida scored three runs in each of the first two innings to take a commanding 6-0 lead.
After the Titans added a run in the top of the fourth inning, Polk State found its offense in the bottom of the frame with three runs. An error allowed the first two runs to score before Emma Kaylor cut the deficit to 7-3 on a wild pitch.
Eastern Florida added a run in the fifth before extending the lead to 11-3 on a three-run blast from Jaelynne Whipple. Duncan, Velasquez and Whipple each finished 2-for-4 with homers, two RBIs and two runs scored.
The Eagles added a run in the sixth on an RBI groundout by Calonnie Holmes that scored Kaylor. Makenzie Foster finished with two of the six Polk State hits.
The second game was more of the same for Polk State. Eastern Florida State rolled in five innings, 9-1.
Eastern Florida again started strong, pushing across four runs in the first inning. Whipple had the big hit with a two-run double in the inning.
After homering for the Titans in the first game, Duncan added two more in the second — a solo home run during a three-run third inning and a two-run blast in the fourth to give Eastern Florida a 9-0 lead.
Foster broke up the shutout with a solo home run in the bottom of the fourth. Leia Hurst and Hayle Peterson had the other two hits for the Eagles (18-26, 10-18 Citrus Conference).
After getting back into the Citrus Conference race, Polk State has now lost four straight games. It gets no easier on Saturday as the Eagles visit Florida SouthWestern State College for a doubleheader.
