The recently star-crossed Central Florida baseball season took another unfortunate twist of fate on Saturday as the Patriots squandered a ninth-inning lead in a 4-3 loss to rival Santa Fe.
CF manufactured a run in each of the first 2 innings and another in the sixth. Hunter Smith scored on a Kenneth Stalls single in the opening frame, and Paul Karmeris crossed home on a Jordan Zech sacrifice fly in the second. Smith opened the sixth with a solo home run to put the Patriots up 3-2 as Patriots starter Kyle Bright held the Saints in check.
But Santa Fe rallied in the ninth, putting its first 3 hitters on and plating 2 runs to pull ahead. CF answered in the bottom of the final inning and had its tying run rounding third, only to be gunned down in a close play at home.
The outcome gives Santa Fe the first substantial lead that any team has enjoyed in the race for the Mid-Florida Conference crown, as the 12-6 Saints now hold a 2-game lead with 6 games to play. In other MFC games, St. Johns River defeated FSC-Jacksonville and Seminole State beat Daytona State, leaving SJR in sole possession of second place and CF tied with Daytona, Seminole and Lake-Sumter for third.
CF manufactured a run in each of the first 2 innings and another in the sixth. Hunter Smith scored on a Kenneth Stalls single in the opening frame, and Paul Karmeris crossed home on a Jordan Zech sacrifice fly in the second. Smith opened the sixth with a solo home run to put the Patriots up 3-2 as Patriots starter Kyle Bright held the Saints in check.
But Santa Fe rallied in the ninth, putting its first 3 hitters on and plating 2 runs to pull ahead. CF answered in the bottom of the final inning and had its tying run rounding third, only to be gunned down in a close play at home.
The outcome gives Santa Fe the first substantial lead that any team has enjoyed in the race for the Mid-Florida Conference crown, as the 12-6 Saints now hold a 2-game lead with 6 games to play. In other MFC games, St. Johns River defeated FSC-Jacksonville and Seminole State beat Daytona State, leaving SJR in sole possession of second place and CF tied with Daytona, Seminole and Lake-Sumter for third.
Mid-Florida Conference Standings
(through Saturday's games)
Santa Fe 12-6
St. Johns River 10-8
Central Florida 9-9
Daytona State 9-9
Lake-Sumter 9-9
Seminole State 9-9
CF looks to end its season-high four-game losing streak on Monday, hosting Seminole State at 3 p.m. at Goodlett Field.
