February 19, 2026
Bucs Win Back and Forth Battle Over Polk
The #3 Florida SouthWestern Buccaneers picked up a big early season Citrus Conference win on Thursday, outlasting the visiting Polk State Eagles in a wild back and forth game 9-8 to improve to 12-4 on the year.
FORT MYERS, Fla.- The #3 Florida SouthWestern Buccaneers picked up a big early season Citrus Conference win on Thursday, outlasting the visiting Polk State Eagles in a wild back and forth game 9-8 to improve to 12-4 on the year.
FSW starter Cole Greer came out and worked a 1-2-3 top half of the 1st inning with a pair of strikeouts, but the Bucs failed to put a ball in play in the bottom of the inning, walking three times, striking out twice, and getting caught stealing once to send the game to the 2nd scoreless.
The Bucs were forced to go to the bullpen because of an injury in the 2nd and with Greer out, the Eagles took advantage, using a one out walk and a home run to right center to crack the scoreboard first and give Polk State a 2-0 lead.
The Bucs answered right back as Robbie Demetree doubled to begin the FSW 2nd and quickly scored on an RBI single back up the middle from Aiden Talarico to cut the Polk lead in half at 2-1. Moments later Elijah Costen stroked a single the other way to bring him home to tie the game and Nick April-Gath followed suit later in the inning to give the Bucs their first lead of the game at 3-2 at the end of two.
Bucs pitching walked three more hitters in the 3rd, allowing a single to plate a pair and give Polk the lead back at 4-3 in the 3rd.
Things settled down through the middle innings until Polk added to their lead in the 6th, putting together a two out rally to score three times and extend their lead to 7-3.
Demetree and Talarico were in the middle of the action again in the bottom of the 6th as Demetree ripped his third double of the game down the left field line and trotted home on a two run home run to left from Talarico to get the Bucs back to within two at 7-5.
The Bucs looked like they were in trouble after back to back errors put two on with nobody out in the top of the 7th, but reliever Sterling Bass got a big double play ball and then worked his way out of the inning to keep it a two run game at stretch time.
The Bucs used a pair of walks, a Polk error, and a sac fly to push across a run in the bottom of the 7th, getting FSW back to within one with two innings left to go.
Bass put up another big zero in the 8th to give the Bucs a chance and they took full advantage in the bottom half of the frame.
With two outs in the FSW 8th pinch runner Tyler June stole second to put himself in scoring position. Back to back walks loaded the bases and put him on third as the tying run and moments later a two strike, two out, hit batter by the Eagles forced him home to tie the game at 7-7. Another free pass kept he carousel going for he Bucs and a dropped fly ball on the infield by the Eagles allowed the Bucs third run of the frame to score to put FSW up 9-7 after eight.
Polk didn't roll over though, getting a one out double to score a run and push the tying run to third base, but FSW closer Nicholas Lorenz dialed up back to back strikeouts after that to extinguish the fire and nail down the 9-8 win for the Bucs in the series opener.
Talarico and Demetree led the offense with Talarico going 3-4 with a homer and three RBIs and Demetree going 3-5 with three doubles on the afternoon. Bass earned his first career win, going 2 1/3 spotless innings, not allowing a hit or run while striking out two for FSW. Lorenz nailed down his third save of the year in the 9th allowing one run on two hits while striking out two.
FSW snaps a mini two game losing streak as they improve to 12-4 overall and tie Polk State and Daytona State atop the league standings with a 3-1 mark through four games. Polk drops to 11-6 overall and falls back in line with the Bucs in the Citrus standings, also at 3-1.
The Bucs and Eagles will be back at it on Saturday with two games in Winter Haven beginning at 1 PM.