Posted: Feb 28, 2022
FORT MYERS, Fla.- Two days ago Florida SouthWestern's Hunter Fitz-Gerald did in the Polk State Eagles with a three home run, seven RBI game in the two teams Suncoast Conference opener, Monday the Bucs got the favor returned as Polk's Jack Duffy launched three long balls to lead the Eagles to an 8-7 extra innings win to even the series at one game apiece.
After being embarrassed by the Bucs at home on Saturday, the Eagles jumped on FSW right away on Monday, using three hits to score two 1st inning runs to take an early 2-0 lead.
The Bucs answered right back though as Hunter Fitz-Gerald remained red hot with a one out triple before scoring on a sacrifice fly from Braden Forchic and later in the inning a Polk error and a two out double from Yadiel Santana plated two more for FSW and put them up 3-2 after an action packed 1st inning of play.
Polk evened the score with a run in the 3rd but it didn't last long as Fitz-Gerald launched his fourth home run in two games out to right to put the Bucs back in front 4-3 in the bottom half of the frame.
The back and forth battle continued in the 5th as a two run home run for the Eagles gave them the lead back at 5-4, but again FSW took advantage of a Polk error in the bottom of the inning to tie the score back up at 5 and then traded an out for a run with runners on the corners and one out to go back in front 6-5 after five complete
A solo home run for the Eagles to lead off the 7th put leveled the score once more at 6.
Polk had a golden opportunity to take the lead back in the 8th as they put two on with nobody out, but a failed bunt attempt and a pair of pop outs ended the threat and kept the score tied at 6.
The Bucs missed a prime chance of their own in the bottom of the frame as they loaded the bases with one out, but a strikeout and a pop out on the infield was all she wrote as the Eagles got out of the jam and kept it a 6-6 game.
Polk got a two out triple in the 9th to put the go ahead run 90 feet away, but FSW pitcher Grant Besser came up with a big strikeout to end the threat and the inning to give the Bucs a chance to walk it off in the bottom half of the inning.
The Bucs had to the top of their order up in the bottom of the 9th with a chance to win it, but they went down quietly in order to send the game to extras deadlocked at 6.
A leadoff walk in the 10th got the Eagles going and Jack Duffy whacked his third homer of the game to give Polk an 8-6 lead.
The Bucs kept fighting as Paxton Tomaini singled with one out and later scoring on an RBI single from Ronny Medina, but Medina was stranded at inning's end as the tying run as FSW fell 8-7.
The game featured 25 hits, 13 for Polk and 12 for FSW. Tomaini led the Bucs with a 3-5 effort while scoring a pair of runs and Fitz-Gerald was 2-5 with a triple, a homer, and two runs scored of his own. Besser allowed his first earned runs of the season, taking the loss on the mound for the Bucs, going 4 1/3 innings and allowing five hits and three runs while striking out five.
FSW falls to 12-10 overall and 1-1 in Suncoast Conference play with the loss while Polk improves to 13-8 overall and 1-1 in league play with the victory.
The two teams will hook up once more on Wednesday for the rubber game of the three game set with first pitch scheduled for 6 PM in Winter Haven.