Polk State 6, Central Florida 4 (BASE)

FCCAA No. 8 Polk State knocked off No. 4 Central Florida on Sunday at Winter Haven, posting a 6-4 victory over the Patriots. The win was revenge for CF's 12-0 rout on Feb. 4 at Ocala.

CF (13-7) hosts Pasco-Hernando on Monday at 2:30 p.m. The teams were originally scheduled to play on Saturday, but were rained out. The loss snapped a three-game Patriot winning streak.

Baseball, Softball Rained Out Saturday

Saturday's scheduled softball and baseball games at Central Florida were cancelled due to inclement weather.

The CF baseball game against Pasco-Hernando will be made up Monday at 2:30 p.m. No make-up date has yet been set for the softball doubleheader between CF and Palm Beach State.

Central Florida 12, Davenport JV 2 (BASE)

Central Florida used a pair of big innings late to put away the junior varsity squad from Davenport University on Friday at Goodlett Field. The Patriots improved to 13-6 with the 12-2 victory.

Dru Jones hit his seventh home run in the third inning and to tie the game at 1 before CF exploded for 6 runs in the sixth inning and 4 more in the seventh. Casey Smit had 2 hits and 4 RBIs and Justin Alvarez scored twice and drove in 2 runs to lead the Patriot fireworks.

Tim Luksha continued his strong start on the mound, improving to 5-0 with a 7-inning, 3-hit, 8-strikeout performance.

CF's next game, a Saturday visit from Pasco-Hernando, has been moved up to 11 a.m. due to expected inclement weather.

Five Lady Patriots Named to All-MFC Teams

Five Central Florida players have been selected to the All-Mid-Florida Conference women's basketball teams.

Sophomores Markeshia Grant and Tyeshia Battles and freshmen Canvis Scott and Jamesha Willis were named to the 12-player first team, which featured four players each from state tournament qualifiers Santa Fe, Daytona State and CF. Sophomore Amber Powe was selected to the second team.

Freshmen Shaunte Forward and Catavia Jones earned honorable mention. 

• Complete list of All-MFC honorees.

MFC Player of the Year Ricardo Ratliffe Headlines Seven Patriot All-Conference Selections

Central Florida sophomore Ricardo Ratliffe has been named Mid-Florida Conference Men's Basketball Player of the Year, headlining a list of seven Patriots named to the All-MFC first or second team.

Fellow sophomores Josh Proctor, Justin Cecil and Travis Johnson joined Ratliffe on the 12-player first team, giving CF the most first-team selections of any MFC school.

Sophomores Kenny Williams, Jeff Neal and Rahshon Tabb were named to the All-MFC second team, rounding out CF's conference-high representation on the teams.

Sophomore Victor Jackson and freshman Darius Nesmith earned honorable mention. 

• Complete list of All-MFC honorees.

Central Florida 8, Pasco-Hernando 7; Central Florida 5, Pasco-Hernando 0 (SOFT)

Central Florida rode an offensive outburst and a brilliant pitching effort to its first doubleheader sweep of the season Thursday. CF beat Pasco-Hernando 8-7 in the early game and 5-0 in the nightcap. Coupled with Tuesday's doubleheader split, the Patriots took three of four games this week from PHCC.

The Patriots won the opener on the strength of a seven-run sixth inning, paced by 2-run home runs by Jessica Knight and Jessica Chewning. Belinda Rennes, Jennifer Hunter and Jandrew Collins each added a pair of hits for the fast-improving Patriot batting order, while Knight added a solid pitching effort to her exploits at the plate, allowing 7 hits and 3 earned runs while striking out seven.

Freshman Megan Still stole the show in the late game, recording a remarkable 13 strikeouts in a 5-hit complete-game shutout. Katie Hayes went 3-for-4 with a solo home run, while Ashley Applewhite and Megan David added 2 hits apiece and Kylie Ondriezek drove in 2 runs.

The Patriots (6-13) host Palm Beach on Saturday at 2:30 p.m.

Patriot Alum Nick Ebert Set to Make Season Debut

Former Belleview High School and Central Florida Patriots standout Nick Ebert will make a belated start to his season at South Carolina this weekend. An academic issue that kept the senior first baseman sidelined for the Gamecocks' first few games has been cleared up, and the slugging first baseman is now poised to build on an impressive junior year that saw him lead USC with 23 home runs.

Former Patriot Brian Buscher Competing for Spot with Indians

Former Central Florida All-American Brian Buscher formally begins his bid for a job with the Cleveland Indians on Friday as the team holds its first full-squad spring training workout in Goodyear, Az.

A 28-year-old Jacksonville native, Buscher starred at the University of South Carolina after his two-year run at CF. The San Francisco Giants selected the lefty-hitting third baseman in the third round of the 2003 MLB Draft, the third time he'd been drafted, and was taken by the Minnesota Twins in the 2007 Rule 5 draft. Buscher appeared in 164 games for the Twins over the past three seasons, hitting .266 with 8 home runs and 69 RBIs. He was designated for assignment by Minnesota in 2009, and signed a minor-league contract with Cleveland in the offseason.

Buscher's best hope of breaking camp with the Indians is as a utility infielder, a task made more difficult by the club's recent signing of veteran Russell Branyan. Cleveland's infield depth chart is a muddled affair, and Buscher has added competition in fellow camp invitees such as former Kansas City Royal standout Mark Grudzielanek.

Central Florida 8, CBCC-Dundalk 3; Central Florida 14, CBCC-Dundalk 7 (BASE)

Central Florida's whole arsenal was on display Wednesday at Goodlett Field as the Patriots swept a doubleheader from Maryland-based school CBCC-Dundalk. A Shawn Kale pitching gem paced the 8-3 early win, while the Patriot bats went wild in a 14-8 nightcap victory.

Kale, a sophomore right-hander returning from arm surgery that cost him the entire 2008-09 season, pitched all 7 innings, allowing 7 hits and a walk against 9 strikeouts. It was Kale's first decision of the year, despite a strong effort in the Patriots' 12-0 win over Polk State on Feb. 4.

Dundalk rallied to tie the game at 2-2, but CF responded with a 6-run sixth inning capped by 2-run hits by Dru Jones and Kenneth Stalls. Jordan Zech added a pair of RBIs in the game, while Shae Cothran scored twice.

The Patriots put away the late game early with a 9-run first inning. Zech had 2 doubles among his 3 hits, scored 3 runs and notched 2 RBIs, while Cothran drove in 4 runs and scored once. Cody Lewis improved to 2-0 on the mound.

CF (12-6) continues its four-game homestand Friday at 2:30 p.m. with a game against the JV squad from Davenport University of Grand Rapids, Mich.

CF Alum Allyson Speed Finding Her Way at South Florida

The Oracle, the student newspaper of the University of South Florida, has a nice feature on Bulls senior and former Lady Patriot standout Allyson Speed. The senior guard scored 20 points against No. 12 Georgetown last week, and appears to have a shot at continuing her basketball career after college.

Lady Patriots to Face Palm Beach State in FCCAA Opener

Central Florida's quarterfinal opponent at next week's FCCAA State Tournament was decided Tuesday night as Indian River State clinched the Southern Conference championship with a 75-48 win over St. Petersburg. That leaves Palm Beach State as the Southern runner-up, paired with Mid-Florida Conference runner-up Lady Patriots in the opening round of the eight-team state postseason. That game is set for 9 p.m. Thursday, March 4 at Chipola College in Marianna.

Central Florida 70, Santa Fe 67 (MBB)

The Central Florida men's basketball team clinched a berth in the FCCAA State Tournament on Tuesday night, edging Santa Fe 70-67 to win the Mid-Florida Conference Tournament and secure its trip to Marianna.

Justin Cecil scored 11 of his 14 points after halftime, including a go-ahead 3-pointer in the final minute and a pair of free throws to help seal the victory. Ricardo Ratliffe scored a game-high 17 points, and six other players scored between 5 and 9 points in a well-rounded CF offensive attack.

The win finally qualifies the Patriots (26-6) for next week's eight-team state tournament, a goal that proved far more elusive than they pictured early in the season. But a pair of losses to MFC champion Daytona State forced CF to scrap for the MFC's other postseason slot through the conference tournament, where the Patriots fought off challenges from St. Johns River and Santa Fe to extend their season.

CF's reward is a matchup with FCCAA No. 1 Northwest Florida State, the former Okaloosa-Walton. NWFS beat the Patriots 88-79 on Dec. 4, coincidentally on the exact Chipola College court the teams will meet on in the state quarterfinal. That game is set for 7 p.m. EST on Wednesday, March 3.

Game highlights at the CF Patriots YouTube channel:

• Rahshon Tabb's Halftime Buzzer-Beating 3-pointer
• Ricardo Ratliffe Muscles in a Shot in the Lane

Note: Tuesday night's game concluded Central Florida's home basketball schedule for the 2009-2010 season. On behalf of Patriots coach Tim Ryan, Lady Patriots coach Cheryl Rice, Director of Athletics Bob Zelinski and Central Florida Community College, thank you for your outstanding support and attendance at our games throughout this exciting season of Patriots and Lady Patriots basketball.

Central Florida 3, Pasco-Hernando 0; Pasco-Hernando 5, Central Florida 0 (SOFT)

A masterful pitching performance by freshman Jessica Knight earned the Patriots a 3-0 win in the opener of a doubleheader at Pasco-Hernando on Tuesday. CF dropped the nightcap 5-0.

Knight tossed a complete-game shutout, allowing just 2 hits and 2 walks and striking out six as the Patriots claimed the first half of the doubleheader. Knight and Kylie Ondriezek each drove in runs for the CF offense, while Jennifer Hunter went 3-for-3 with a run scored.

Hunter notched 2 more hits in the late game, while Jessica McClellan and Katie Hayes added a hit apiece.

Tuesday's doubleheader replaced CF's originally-scheduled Feb. 2 visit to PHCC, which was cancelled due to weather. In a quirk of the schedule, Pasco gets a quick rematch on CF's home turf, visiting the Patriots (4-13) for a 2 p.m. doubleheader on Thursday.

FCCAA Releases Final Basketball Coaches' Polls

Central Florida figured into both the men's and women's final state coaches' polls, released Tuesday by the FCCAA. Click through for the details.

Patriots Slip to Fourth in State Baseball Poll

Central Florida fell from second to fourth in the latest state coaches' poll, released Tuesday by the FCCAA. CF jumped from a preseason No. 10 ranking to No. 2 after starting the season with eight straight wins, but the inevitable end of the hot streak knocked the Patriots down a couple of pegs. Click through for all the data.

Central Florida 80, St. Johns River 70 (MBB)

Central Florida outlasted a rugged St. Johns River team Monday night in a Mid-Florida Conference tournament semifinal game, finally putting away the Vikings in the final minutes and securing an 80-70 win.

The victory puts CF in the MFC tournament championship game against Santa Fe, 77-61 winners over FSC-Jacksonville at Gainesville in the evening's other semifinal game. Longtime rivals CF and Santa Fe play at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday on the Patriots' home court.

Ricardo Ratliffe notched a double-double with 21 points and 14 rebounds, both game highs. Four other Patriots joined him in double figures: Justin Cecil scored 14 points, including 4 makes from 3-point range; Slobodan Miljanic continued his late-season surge with 12 points off the bench; and Josh Proctor and Darius Nesmith added 10 points apiece.

CF (25-6) stretched a seven-point halftime lead to 17 with a 14-4 run to start the second half before the reliably competitive SJR squad cut the Patriot advantage to 4 with 1:30 to play. Late stops and free throws delivered the win for the home team.

A win Tuesday puts the Patriots in the FCCAA State Tournament as the MFC's second seed. CF would face Panhandle Conference champion and state No. 1 Northwest Florida State on Wednesday, March 3, at 7 p.m. at Chipola College in Marianna.

Visit the CF Patriots YouTube channel for highlights of the Patriots' victory.

Central Florida 74, FSC-Jacksonville 65 (WBB)

The Lady Patriots clinched second place in the Mid-Florida Conference in their regular season finale on Monday, beating FSC-Jacksonville 74-65.

The runner-up finish means CF will face the Southern Conference runner-up in the quarterfinals of the FCCAA State Tournament. That game is set for 9 p.m. Thursday, March 4, at Chipola College in Marianna, with the opponent yet to be determined between Indian River State and Palm Beach State.

Canvis Scott had 21 points for the Lady Patriots, while Markeshia Grant added 19.

CF rounds out its regular season at 19-10 overall and 5-4 in the MFC, two games behind champion Santa Fe and equal to Daytona State. The Lady Patriots earn the second seed by virtue of a 2-to-1 head-to-head series advantage over Daytona, which now has the unfortunate plight of facing Panhandle champion Gulf Coast in the state tournament opener.

The Lady Patriots enter the postseason with considerable momentum, a position that seemed unlikely just two weeks ago. On Feb. 6, CF lost to last-place FSC-Jacksonville in front of a homecoming crowd, hitting bottom in the standings (2-4) and in confidence. But the return of sophomore star Grant sparked a revival, and the Lady Patriots won tough overtime games at Santa Fe and Daytona before finishing up with Monday's second-place clincher.

Central Florida 8, Brevard 7; Brevard 7, Central Florida 3 (BASE)

Central Florida split a late-afternoon doubleheader at Brevard on Monday, bringing its season record to 10-6 and wrapping up a season-long five-game road trip.

Bradley Goodson went 4-for-5 with 3 RBIs, and Jordan Zech went 3-for-5 with 3 runs scored in the early game, while Tim Luskha picked up the win for the Patriots. Goodson added a single and a double in the late game.

CF finally returns to Goodlett Field this week with home games on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday, Click here for the team's full schedule.

Central Florida 7, Polk State 5 (SOFT)

Central Florida salvaged an otherwise frustrating stint in the St. Petersburg Spring Invitational with a closing win, besting FCCAA No. 6 Polk State 7-5 behind a comprehensive offensive effort.

The list of offensive heroes was long for the Patriots. Jessica Chewning had 3 hits, scored a run and drove one in; Belinda Rennes had a run and an RBI; Kylie Ondriezek had 2 doubles and drove in a run; Jessica Knight notched 2 hits and scored twice; and Jandrew Collins had 2 RBIs and scored a run.

Starting pitcher Jordan Rambo pitched into the fifth, allowing 7 hits and 2 earned runs, and Megan Still picked up the win in relief, allowing just 1 hit while recording the final 7 outs.

CF (3-12) looks to keep the runs coming on Tuesday, when it visits Pasco-Hernando to make up an early-season rainout.

Miami-Dade 6, Central Florida 1 (SOFT)

Central Florida continued to struggle in day two of the St. Petesburg Spring Invitational, falling to Miami-Dade 6-1. Pitcher Jessica Knight was strong in defeat, striking out nine and allowing just 2 earned runs while pitching all 7 innings. Jessica McClellan delivered CF's run with a solo homer.

Daytona State Keeps Pressure on Lady Patriots

Mid-Florida Conference rival Daytona State closed out its regular season on Saturday with a 59-51 victory over FSC-Jacksonville, meaning Central Florida will have to win Monday in its own visit to Jacksonville to claim second place in the MFC standings.

With a win Monday, CF will finish tied with Daytona at 5-4 in conference play, and will claim the second seed based on a 2-1 head-to-head advantage this season.

That's important not just because second is better than third, but because the MFC's second seed plays the runner-up of the Southern Conference, while the MFC's third seed plays Panhandle Conference champion and national No. 2 Gulf Coast in the FCCAA State Tournament starting March 4 in Marianna.

And speaking of the tournament, all eight participating teams have been determined, with some seeding still to be worked out. The competitors are: Santa Fe, Central Florida, Daytona State, Gulf Coast, Pensacola, Tallahassee, Indian River State and Palm Beach State.

Broward 5, Central Florida 2 (SOFT)

Central Florida rounded out a fruitless first day of the St. Petersburg Spring Invitational with a 5-2 loss to Broward.

Jandrew Collins drove in both of CF's runs, with Kelly Ondriezek and Jessica Chewning crossing the plate. Megan Still took the pitching loss for the Patriots.

The Patriots (2-11) conclude their five-game Invitational schedule Sunday, facing Miami-Dade at 9 a.m. and Polk State at 1 p.m.

St. Petersburg 10, Central Florida 0 (SOFT)

Central Florida took a 10-0 loss to the host Titans in the second of three games Saturday at the St. Petersburg Spring Invitational.

Jennifer Hunter and Belinda Rennes each went 1-for-2. Megan Still took the defeat on the mound.

Hillsborough 6, Central Florida 0 (SOFT)

Central Florida opened its three-game Saturday in the St. Petersburg Spring Invitational with a 6-0 shutout loss to Hillsborough.

Jessica McClellan and Jessica Chewning each had 2 hits, including a double apiece. Jordan Rambo took the loss on the mound.

Shelton State 6, Central Florida 3 (BASE)

Central Florida fell to a revenge-minded Shelton State team in the final game of its three-game, two-day visit to Panama City, dropping a 6-3 decision. Paul Karmeris hit a home run to pace the Patriots offense.

CF (9-5) visits Melbourne for a doubleheader with Brevard on Monday, then hosts CCBC-Dundalk in a noon doubleheader at Goodlett Field on Wednesday.

Gulf Coast 8, Central Florida 1 (BASE)

Central Florida took a tough road loss early Saturday, falling to homestanding Gulf Coast 8-1 at Panama City.

A Hunter Smith double was the highlight of the Patriots' frustrating day at the plate. CF's three-game visit to Panama City continues later Saturday with a rematch against Shelton State.

Central Florida 14, Shelton State 8 (BASE)

Central Florida broke its three-game losing streak with another impressive offensive display on Friday, beating Shelton State 14-8 at Panama City.

Jordan Zech hit a 3-run home run and Dru Jones hit a solo shot, his fifth home run in the past four games, to pace the consistently productive Patriot offense. Tyler Diaz picked up the victory in relief.

The Patriots (9-3) stay in Panama City for a pair of games on Saturday, including a morning matchup with host Gulf Coast and an afternoon rematch with Shelton State, an NJCAA member school in Tuscaloosa, Ala.

Patriots Will Open Postseason on Home Court

Just days after the Central Florida men's basketball team played its apparent final home game of the season, fate has intervened to give CF students and fans at least one more look at the Patriots.

CF will host St. Johns River on Monday night at 7:30 p.m. in the semifinal round of the Mid-Florida Conference Tournament, a four-team playoff that will determine the conference's second and final state tournament qualifier. If the Patriots win on Monday, they will play at home again on Tuesday night at 7:30 p.m. against the winner of the semifinal between FSC-Jacksonville and Santa Fe, with the winner advancing to next month's FCCAA State Tournament.

Admission for each game is free for CF students, faculty and staff, and $3 for all others.

The Patriots have beaten St. Johns River twice this year, including a 72-55 victory on Feb. 10 in CF's regular-season home finale. The Patriots completed the regular season Wednesday with an overall record of 24-6 and a 6-2 conference mark.

A Collection of Ricardo Ratliffe Recruiting Links

Tales from the Ricardo Ratliffe recruiting frenzy:

• Richard Burton chronicles Ratliffe's recruiting process for GatorSports.com.
• Blake Stansbery of the respected sports Web site Bleacher Report makes the case for Central Florida All-American Ricardo Ratliffe as the "missing piece" to Arkansas' recruiting class.
• Another tidbit from The State, this one focusing on the interest South Carolina and Clemson have shown in the Patriots standout.
• Alabama newspaper site AL.com on the Tide's hopes of landing Ratliffe.
• The Louisville Courier-Journal says Indiana is still in pursuit.
• And in case you missed it, local ABC affiliate WCJB-TV ran a segment on Ratliffe recently, and it's available online.

Daytona State 82, Central Florida 74 (MBB)

Central Florida's quest for a second consecutive Mid-Florida Conference championship ended on Wednesday with an 82-74 loss at Daytona State. The Falcons clinched the MFC title with the victory.

The loss means CF (24-6, 6-2) will have to fight its way to the postseason through the Mid-Florida Conference Tournament. That starts Monday at 7:30 p.m. with the Patriots hosting St. Johns River. A win in that game puts CF in the conference tournament final Tuesday, where it would host the winner of the FSC-Jacksonville-Santa Fe semifinal with the conference's other state tournament berth on the line.

The Patriots trailed by 10 at the half but cut the lead to a single basket in the second half. Timely shots by Daytona and some unfortunate misses by the Patriots doomed the comeback attempt.

Ricardo Ratliffe scored a game-high 26 points and added 7 rebounds, while Travis Johnson added 16 points and Josh Proctor added 10.

Lady Patriots Clinch State Tournament Berth

The Central Florida women's basketball team clinched its eighth consecutive berth in the FCCAA State Tournament on Wednesday. The Lady Patriots' 77-76 overtime win over Daytona State, coupled with Santa Fe's 70-57 win over FSC-Jacksonville, eliminates FSC-Jacksonville from the postseason race and ensures CF will finish at least third.

There is still some significant positioning to take place, however. A Lady Patriots win in their season finale on Monday at Jacksonville, or a Daytona loss to Jacksonville on Saturday, would ensure that CF enters the state tournament as the MFC's second seed matched against the Southern Conference champion, rather than as the third seed with a first-round date with national No. 2 Gulf Coast.

Central Florida 77, Daytona State 76, OT (WBB)

Central Florida evened its conference record and moved to the brink of a state tournament berth on Wednesday with a 77-76 overtime victory at Daytona State.

The Lady Patriots held a comfortable double-digit lead for the bulk of the second half, but a late rally punctuated by a buzzer-beating Falcons 3-pointer forced an extra 5 minutes. Canvis Scott led four CF players in double figures with 20 points while adding a game-high 12 rebounds. Jamesha Willis scored 11, while Amber Powe and Markeshia Grant added 10 apiece.

With the win, the Lady Patriots (18-10, 4-4) are now tied with Daytona (14-12, 4-4) for second place in the Mid-Florida Conference standings, with FSC-Jacksonville falling behind at 1-5 entering Wednesday's games. CF clinches a postseason berth if Jacksonville loses to the already-crowned conference champion Santa Fe in Gainesville tonight.

But CF would still have plenty to play for in its final regular-season game, a Monday visit to FSC-Jacksonville. It would benefit the Lady Patriots to enter the state tournament as the MFC's second seed, drawing the champion of the Southern Conference, rather than the third seed, which would likely set up a first-round matchup with national No. 2 Gulf Coast. CF holds the head-to-head tiebreaker advantage over Daytona, so they can clinch that second seed Saturday if Daytona loses at Jacksonville, or can earn it Monday with their own win at Jacksonville.

Hillsborough 13, Central Florida 11 (BASE)

The Patriots fell a couple of runs short in a high-scoring affair on Wednesday at Goodlett Field, losing to Hillsborough 13-11 to drop to 8-3 on the season.

Dru Jones and Kenneth Stalls drove in 3 runs apiece for the Patriots, while Hunter Smith had 3 hits, scored 3 times and drove in a pair of runs as CF tried to recover from the 9-0 lead the Hawks built over the first 2 innings.

The FCCAA No. 2 Patriots next travel to Panama City for a weekend tournament at Gulf Coast.

Tracking the Patriots' Pursuit of the Postseason

Below, a handy flowchart to track the progress of the Central Florida men's basketball team's pursuit of a state tournament berth, which begins in earnest tonight at 8 p.m. as the Patriots visit Daytona State. A win keeps hope alive for a second consecutive conference title; a loss means the state tournament is still two victories away.

You'll note that the neutral site for Friday's if-necessary conference championship game has been determined, and it is Santa Fe College in Gainesville. Also, should they need to participate in the conference tournament, the Patriots have already clinched homecourt advantage throughout, and those games will take place at 7:30 p.m. on Monday and, if necessary, Tuesday.

FSC-Manatee 8, Central Florida 6; FSC-Manatee 14, Central Florida 5 (SOFT)

The Patriots swung the bats well on their home diamond Tuesday, but dropped a pair of games to Florida State College  in their second home doubleheader of the young season. The visitors won the first game 8-6 and the late game 14-5.

 

CF (2-8) was paced by the consistent hitting of freshman Jessica Knight, who smashed a solo home run in the opener and a pair of doubles in the nightcap. The Patriots flashed the potential of their developing offense in the third inning of the early game, as Jessica McClellan cleared the loaded bases with a 3-run single and Katie Hayes followed with a 2-run homer in a 5-run outburst.

 

The Patriots take to the road again this weekend, participating in the annual St. Petersburg College Tournament in Clearwater. They return home Feb. 25, hosting Pasco-Hernando at 2 p.m.

CF Teams Maintain Strong State Rankings

The Central Florida men's basketball, women's basketball and baseball teams all retained or improved their standings in the latest round of FCCAA coaches' polls, released Tuesday. Men's basketball held steady at No. 5, women's basketball edged up from 10th to ninth and baseball hung in at No. 2. Click through for the numbers.

WCJB: Ricardo Ratliffe Getting National Attention

Local ABC affiliate WCJB-TV featured Central Florida All-American Ricardo Ratliffe on its 6 p.m. newscast Monday night. Now you can watch it online.

St. Petersburg 9, Central Florida 5 (BASE)

St. Petersburg earned payback Monday for its opening-day loss in Ocala, beating Central Florida 9-5.

Hunter Smith smashed a pair of home runs for the Patriots (8-2). Fellow sophomore slugger Dru Jones added a home run of his own, his third in the last two games after hitting a pair in the second half of Saturday's doubleheader split with Miami-Dade.

Michael Paulk (2-1) took the loss on the mound.

CF hosts Hillsborough on Wednesday at 2 p.m.

Central Florida 84, Santa Fe 68 (MBB)

Central Florida set up a final-day showdown and kept alive its hopes for a conference title Saturday with a dominant 84-68 win over Santa Fe at Gainesville.

The Patriots (24-5, 6-1) now enter their regular season-ending visit to Daytona State on Wednesday with just one conference loss; with a win, they'll tie Daytona (20-6, 7-0) at 7-1 and force a single-game, neutral-site playoff on Friday with the conference crown at stake. If CF loses Wednesday or Friday, they'll compete for the conference's second state playoff berth in a four-team tournament the week of Feb. 22.

For now, CF can bask in a convincing victory over its nearest rival. The Patriots held the Saints (15-11, 3-4) to just 35 percent shooting from the field and built its lead to as much as 24 in the second half. Ricardo Ratliffe put up typical monster numbers with 29 points and 15 rebounds, Josh Proctor scored 15 and Travis Johnson notched all 11 of his points after halftime.

Central Florida 93, Santa Fe 86, OT (WBB)

Central Florida took a big step toward the postseason on Saturday, travelling to Gainesville to knock off Santa Fe 93-86 in overtime.

The Lady Patriots (17-10, 3-4) did not quite clinch a postseason berth with the win over the already-crowned conference champion Lady Saints (17-9, 6-2), but did create some space between themselves and last-place FSC-Jacksonville (7-18, 1-5), who was idle on Saturday. The top three teams in the four-team conference will compete in the state tournament next month. 

Jameshia Willis had her finest game of the season with 26 points, 5 rebounds and 4 steals. Tyeshia Battles had 25 points and 8 rebounds, Canvis Scott added 14 points and 8 rebounds and Amber Powe scored 6 of her 11 points in overtime. The Lady Patriots were also aided by the welcome return of sophomore star Markeshia Grant, even in a limited 19-minute outing.

Central Florida 12, Miami-Dade 7; Miami-Dade 9, Central Florida 4 (BASE)

It had to happen sometime: Central Florida took its first loss of the baseball season on Saturday at Goodlett Field, splitting a doubleheader with Miami-Dade. The Patriots won the first game 12-7 and dropped the nightcap 9-4.

CF (8-1) was paced in the early game by Kenneth Stalls, with a home run among his 3 hits, and Bradley Goodson, whose 3 hits included a go-ahead 3-run double in the fifth inning of the 7-inning contest. Chris Labriola picked up the win out of the Patriot bullpen.

Dru Jones powered the home team offense in the late game with a pair of 2-run home runs, but it wasn't enough to offset a strong Sharks effort at the plate.

The Patriots visit St. Petersburg on Monday, then host Hillsborough on Wednesday at 3 p.m.

Central Florida 3, Hillsborough 1; Hillsborough 4, Central Florida 1 (SOFT)

The Patriots earned a split of a softball doubleheader at Plant City on Thursday, beating Hillsborough 3-1 in the opener and dropping the late game 4-1.

Megan Still picked up the complete-game victory in the early game, allowing 3 hits and an earned run while striking out 4 and evening her season record to 2-2. Kelly Ondriezek, Katie Hayes, Erin McMahan and Jessica McClellan each had a pair of hits for CF.

The Patriots nearly pulled off a dramatic comeback in the nightcap before taking the loss. Jordan Rambo pitched 5 1/3 innings of no-hit relief, and the CF loaded the bases in the seventh to bring Hayes to the plate as the go-ahead run. But the sophomore's deep fly ball was hauled in at the warning track, stifling the late rally and narrowly preventing a Patriot sweep.

Freshman outfielder Samantha Stewart had 3 hits in the game. CF scored its run in unusual fashion, as McClellan drew a bases-loaded walk to score Heater Porter, who had reached after being hit by a pitch.

The Patriots (2-6) host State College of Florida-Manatee on Tuesday at 2 p.m.

Daytona Awaits Patriots After Handling Santa Fe

Daytona State defeated Santa Fe 89-53 on Wednesday in its second-to-last Mid-Florida Conference game, setting the stage for a regular season-ending showdown with Central Florida on Feb. 17.

CF needs to win at Santa Fe on Feb. 13 to make that finale meaningful. The Falcons will come into that game at 7-0. If the Patriots beat the Saints and come into Daytona at 6-1, they'll be in a position to tie Daytona for the conference title with a win. That would then force a one-game, neutral-site playoff to decide the MFC champion.

Should CF lose to Santa Fe, Daytona would clinch the MFC title and the Patriots would enter the four-team conference tournament to decide the conference's second state title berth. The format of that tournament has been modified in recent weeks to a simple four-team, single-elimination tournament, with the conference's second-place finisher hosting the fifth-place team and the third-place team hosting the fourth-place team. The winners of those games then play at the higher-seeded team's gym with the second state tournament spot on the line.

Here's a glance at how the MFC stands entering its final week:

• Daytona State          7-0     (vs. CF 2/17)
• Central Florida         5-1     (@ Santa Fe 2/13; @ Daytona 2/17)
• Santa Fe                  3-3     (vs. CF 2/13; vs. FSC-Jax 2/17)
• FSC-Jacksonville     1-5     (vs. SJR 2/13; @ Santa Fe 2/17)
• St. Johns River         0-7     (@ FSC-Jax 2/13)

Central Florida 72, St. Johns River 55 (MBB)

Central Florida dominated a crucial Mid-Florida Conference game on Wednesday, wrapping up the home portion of its regular-season schedule with a 72-55 victory over St. Johns River.

Ricardo Ratliffe had a game-high 18 points and 14 rebounds, while Josh Proctor scored 13 and Travis Johnson 11.
The victory keeps the Patriots (23-5, 5-1) on track for an epic showdown at Daytona State on Feb. 17, the final day of the regular season. If CF enters with one loss and Daytona comes in undefeated, the Patriots can force a neutral-site one-game playoff to decide the conference champion.

A handful of video highlights from the game:

Patriots Rocket Up State Baseball Rankings

Central Florida's brilliant start to the spring baseball season has not gone unnoticed by the state's coaches. After sneaking into the coaches' poll at No. 10 in the preseason, the 7-0 Patriots have shot to within seven points of the top spot in the year's first in-season version, landing comfortably at No. 2.

Here's the poll:

Rank Team (1st-place votes) Record Pts Pvs

1. State College of Florida (4) 6-0 118 4

2. Central Florida (2) 7-0 111 10

3. Gulf Coast (2) 5-1 89 8

4. Miami Dade (2) 3-1 84 3

5. Tallahassee 4-1 76 7

6. Chipola (2) 5-3 66 1

7. South Florida 6-1 53 --

8. Pensacola (2) 3-4-1 39 --

9. St. Petersburg 5-5 37 5

10. Northwest Florida State 4-2 33 --

Also receiving votes: Daytona State 24, Santa Fe 17, Broward 14, Palm Beach State 7, Seminole State 2. Dropped out of rankings: No. 2 Santa Fe, No. 6 Palm Beach State, No. 9 Broward.

CF did not receive any votes in the softball poll.

Patriots Still Fifth in FCCAA Poll; Lady Patriots Ranked Tenth

Not much changed in the latest version of the FCCAA coaches' polls. The Central Florida men remained at No. 5, while the women dropped just one slot to No. 10. Here the men's rankings:

Rank Team (1st-place votes) Record Pts Pvs

1. Northwest Florida State (14) 22-2 149 1t

2. Tallahassee 20-4 123 1t

3. Indian River State (1) 16-4 116 3

4. Daytona State 19-6 114 4

5. Central Florida 22-5 93 5

6. Broward 17-5 68 6

7. Hillsborough 14-12 54 8

8t. Chipola 18-6 41 9

8t. St. Petersburg 15-8 41 7

10. Polk State 15-10 10 10

Also receiving votes: Gulf Coast 8, Santa Fe 7, Pensacola 1.
 
And the women's:
 

Rank Team (1st-place votes) Record Pts Pvs

1. Gulf Coast (13) 21-1 148 1

2. Pensacola (2) 21-3 136 2

3. Indian River State 17-4 106 3

4. Tallahassee 16-6 104 4

5. Santa Fe 17-7 91 5

6. Palm Beach State 17-6 69 7

7. Northwest Florida State 15-6 58 6

8. Hillsborough 15-6 38 8

9. Daytona State 13-11 26 10t

10. Central Florida 16-10 24 9

Also receiving votes: Chipola 18, Miami Dade 7. Dropped from rankings: No. 10t Chipola.

Central Florida 8, Pasco-Hernando 1 (BASE)

The Patriots continued their season-opening winning streak on Monday at New Port Richey, blasting host Pasco-Hernando 8-1 to improve to 7-0.

Sophomore Michael Paulk got his second win of the season on the mound, and he had more than enough run support from CF's unstoppable batting order. Sophomore slugger Dru Jones had 3 of the Patriots' remarkable 15 hits.

CF can catch its breath now after playing (and winning) six games in as many days dating back to Wednesday of last week. The Patriots are off until Friday, when they host Brevard at 3 p.m.

The Official Ricardo Ratliffe Short List

According to the man himself, from a conversation I had with him over the weekend, Ricardo Ratliffe has narrowed his four-year college choices to six schools. In no particular order: Missouri; South Carolina; Alabama; Arkansas; Clemson; and Florida. This post comes with the requisite disclaimer that Ratliffe may still be blown away by a late recruiting pitch and sign with a school not included in this list. But note that this list includes many of the schools Ratliffe regarded highly back in the fall and those known to have long-standing consistent interest in the 6-9 All-American power forward. For those of us who have closely followed Ratliffe's process, this list makes a lot of sense.

Central Florida 8, South Georgia 7 (BASE)

The Patriots improved to 6-0 with a dramatic walk-off win on Sunday at Goodlett Field, beating South Georgia 8-7 on an 11th-inning Hunter Smith single.

In a rematch of Saturday's embarrassing 24-7 CF victory, a far more game Tigers squad took the home team to extra frames before Eric Green got into scoring position and crossed home on Smith's decisive base hit.

The Patriots, one of just three remaining unbeaten teams in Florida, visit Pasco-Hernando on Monday, then return home for games Friday and Saturday.

Central Florida 76, FSC-Jacksonville 65 (MBB)

The Patriots furthered their postseason cause with a quality conference win Saturday, beating FSC-Jacksonville 76-65 behind Ricardo Ratliffe’s 31-point, 9-rebound effort.

CF (22-5, 4-1 Mid-Florida Conference) built an early 14-point lead but led by just two at halftime before a second-half surge put the game on ice. The Patriots overcame a 3-for-16 collective 3-point shooting effort and a 35 percent first-half field goal percentage to notch the victory.

Travis Johnson made 11 of 13 free-throw attempts and scored 19 for CF, while reserve Slobodan Miljanic turned in a welcome strong effort, stroking a trio of 3-pointers and scoring all of his 11 points in the second half.

The Patriots welcome St. Johns River on Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. in their final home game of the season. They visit Santa Fe on Feb. 13, then travel Daytona State on Feb. 17 in what promises to be a very meaningful season finale.

FSC-Jacksonville 60, Central Florida 51 (WBB)

A short-handed Lady Patriots squad suffered its most discouraging loss of a trying season Saturday night, falling to previously-winless FSC-Jacksonville 60-51 and putting a dent in its fragile postseason plans.

FSC-Jacksonville built a 31-25 halftime advantage and built its lead to as much as 15 in the second half. CF, dressing just eight players and absent leading scorers Markeshia Grant and Olivia Nino, shot just 35 percent from the game and missed 11 of its 15 attempts from 3-point range.

Tyeshia Battles led the Lady Patriots with 15 points and 7 rebounds, while Amber Powe added 11 points and 5 rebounds.

CF (16-10, 2-4 Mid-Florida Conference) will have to earn its playoff berth on the road, as Saturday represented the team’s final home game of the year. The Lady Patriots maintain a slight edge over FSC-Jacksonville (1-5 MFC) for the conference’s third and final state tournament slot. The battle may come down to the Feb. 22 season finale, when CF visits Jacksonville.

Central Florida 24, South Georgia 3 (BASE)

The Patriots’ simmering offense burst into flames on Saturday at Goodlett Field, hanging a 17-run fifth inning on visiting South Georgia en route to a mercy-rule 24-3 victory.

CF (5-0) batted around twice in the decisive fifth inning to make a mockery of a reasonably competitive game and complete CF’s sweep of its two games of the three-game round-robin affair. The Patriots edged Indian River State 5-4 in the morning game.

In an odd twist of fate, CF will face South Georgia one more time before the Tigers leave town. First pitch is Sunday at noon at Goodlett Field. Awkward.

Polk State 6, Central Florida 0; Polk State 12, Central Florida 7 (SOFT)

The Patriots dropped both halves of their home-opening doubleheader, losing 6-0 in the early game and forcing extra innings in the nightcap before dropping a 12-7, eight-inning decision.

Kylie Ondriezek had a pair of hits in the opener, while Katie Hayes drove in two runs in the late game. Megan Still and Jessica Knight took the pitching losses, respectively.

CF (1-5) has a few days to recover before its next outing, a Thursday visit to Hillsborough. The Patriots’ next home doubleheader is Feb. 16 at 2 p.m. against Florida State College-Manatee.

Central Florida 5, Indian River State 4 (BASE)

The Patriots stayed perfect in Saturday's morning opener, edging Indian River State 5-4 and improving to 4-0 on the season.

Kyle Bright turned in the fourth consecutive impressive start for a Patriot pitcher, allowing just one earned run in the complete-game seven-inning effort. Bradley Goodson was equally dominant at the plate, stroking a double, triple and a home run.

CF will face South Georgia on Saturday afternoon in another seven-inning game.

Central Florida 4, SCF-Manatee 2; SCF-Manatee 6, Central Florida 1 (SOFT)

The Patriot softball team picked up its first victory of the young season on Thursday at Bradenton, taking the first game of a doubleheader from State College of Florida-Manatee by a 4-2 score. CF (1-3) dropped the nightcap 6-1.

Freshman pitcher Megan Still pitched a complete-game 4-hitter to pick up the victory in the early game, while Kylie Ondriezek drove in and scored a run and Jennifer Hunter and Jessica McClellan each notched an RBI. Jordan Rambo took the loss in the second game, but drove in Katie Hayes for CF's lone run. Freshman Erin McMahan added a pair of hits in the losing effort.

The Patriots return to Ocala for their home opener on Saturday, hosting Polk State in a doubleheader starting at 1 p.m.

Central Florida 12, Polk State 0 (BASE)

Sophomore pitcher Shawn Kale made a successful return to the mound and his teammates carried their weight at the plate on Thursday at Goodlett Field as Central Florida routed Polk State 12-0 to improve to 3-0.

Kale made his first mound appearance since undergoing arm surgery in the fall of 2008. The 6-4 sophomore right-hander threw four innings of scoreless, one-hit baseball. With Kale exiting before the five-inning threshold for a win, Tim Luksha pitched two hitless innings of middle relief to pick up the victory.

For a few examples of CF's top-to-bottom dominance with the bats, Casey Smit had 2 runs and 2 RBIs, while Dru Jones and Kyle Bright each drove in 2 runs and Eric Green scored twice.

CF knocked Polk (3-1) from the ranks of the undefeated with the win, and will put its own perfect record on the line Friday at 3 p.m. as it hosts South Florida.

Watch a highlight from today's game at the CF Patriots YouTube channel.

Central Florida 11, Hillsborough 4 (BASE)

Mom Nature finally let her kids play outside on Wednesday, and the Central Florida baseball team responded with a dominant display of pent-up pitching and hitting in an 11-4 victory over Hillsborough at Tampa.

Michael Paulk, a 6-3 sophomore righthander, picked up the victory on the mound. The sophomores also delivered at the plate as Dru Jones knocked in 3 runs and Jordan Zech counted a triple among his 3 hits.

CF, playing its first game since its opening-day 4-3 defeat of St. Petersburg on Jan. 29, improved to 2-0. The Patriots' last four games had been rained out, including a Jan. 30 home doubleheader against Northwest Florida State, a Monday visit to Indian River State and a Tuesday home date with Polk State. That last game has been rescheduled for Thursday at 3 p.m. at Goodlett Field.

Wednesday's game, by the way, was the first of a seven-game, six-day stretch that should be a truer measure of this team's ability than the disjointed schedule has allowed thus far. It will test the Patriot hitters' ability to produce on back-to-back days, the top-to-bottom talent level of the starting pitching staff and the depth and versatility of the bullpen. My hunch is that this Patriot team is going to be a good one.

Lady Patriots Still Likely Playoff-Bound

It's a bye Wednesday for Central Florida in its Mid-Florida Conference schedule, with both men's and women's teams enjoying a needed week of recuperation from Saturday's unpleasant homecoming sweep to Daytona State. So this is a fine opportunity to break down the teams' chances of reaching Marianna (that's the annual site of the state tournament, and the reason there's a seemingly random map to the left of your screen). I looked at the men's prospects on Monday. Now, here's where the Lady Patriots stand.

Despite consecutive Mid-Florida Conference losses, Central Florida (16-9, 2-3) is still very likely to be a state tournament qualifier. What the Lady Patriots won't be, however, is MFC champions. Santa Fe (17-7, 6-0) has clinched the conference title already. With three games remaining, even if CF or Daytona State (12-11, 2-3) were to tie Santa Fe at 6-3, Santa Fe has already won the season series from each team.

But here's why CF is still very much in line for the postseason. Given the quirky rules governing the FCCAA, three of the MFC's four teams will reach the postseason. Santa Fe's got the first spot, leaving CF, Daytona and last-place FSC-Jacksonville (6-17, 0-4) to settle the final two slots. FSC-J has lost to all three conference rivals by double digits in the past month, so the smart money is on CF and Daytona to cruise to the playoffs. But mathematically they're still alive, and in fact just one game out of second place in the loss column thanks to an oddball schedule that has seen them play two fewer games than any other conference school. If CF continues its slump and loses to FSC-J on Saturday (a 5:30 pm tip at our place), we've got a race on our hands. If CF takes care of business, it would take a major FSC-J late-season rally, coupled with a full-fledged Lady Patriot collapse, to keep the good girls home in March.

Central Florida Hoops Teams Take a Hit in State Rankings

As expected, Saturday's homecoming losses to Daytona State have taken a toll on Central Florida's stature in the new men's and women's FCCAA coaches' polls, released today.

First, the men's:

Rank Team (1st-place votes) Record Pts Pvs

1t. Northwest Florida State (7) 20-2 133 1

1t. Tallahassee (7) 20-3 133 2

3. Indian River State 15-4 103 4

4. Daytona State 17-6 95 6

5. Central Florida 21-5 87 3

6. Broward 17-5 70 5

7. St. Petersburg 14-7 44 7

8. Hillsborough 12-12 37 --

9. Chipola 17-5 35 8

10. Polk State 14-10 22 9

Also receiving votes: Santa Fe 6, Pensacola 4, Gulf Coast 1. Dropped from rankings: No. 10 Pensacola.

Fair enough. If our Patriots are to take any consolation from the above set of data, I'd say it would be the status of Tallahassee as the state's co-No. 1. You'll recall that CF handled those Eagles rather easily back in November, and had them on the ropes a second time in the Panhandle before a TCC comeback. As respectfully as possible, if that's the best the state has to offer, a state title is still a realistic goal.

As for the women's poll:

Rank Team (1st-place votes) Record Pts Pvs

1. Gulf Coast (11) 20-0 110 1

2. Pensacola 20-3 98 2

3. Indian River State 17-3 78 4

4. Tallahassee 15-6 76 3

5. Santa Fe 17-7 66 6

6. Northwest Florida State 14-5 50 5

7. Palm Beach State 15-6 38 9

8. Hillsborough 14-6 29 8

9. Central Florida 16-9 23 7

10t. Chipola 10-10 17 10

10t. Daytona State 12-11 17 --

Also receiving votes: Miami Dade 3.

Again, not much to argue with, though I imagine Daytona State is asking why its tenth to CF's ninth after a pretty convincing win the other night. Voters apparently were savvy enough to recognize that the Lady Patriots played without sophomore standouts Markeshia Grant and Olivia Nino. Here's hoping CF is closer to full strength for the rematch Feb. 17 at Daytona.

A Very Premature Look at a Conference Tiebreaker

There's lot of basketball to be played between now and then, but in the wake of Central Florida's loss to Daytona State on Saturday night, here's one potential scenario for how the balance of the Mid-Florida Conference men's basketball schedule might play out.

CF wins its next two home games versus fourth-place FSC-Jacksonville and winless St. Johns River, then travels to Gainesville and completes its season sweep of Santa Fe. Daytona State, meanwhile, handles FSC-Jacksonville and Santa Fe at home and survives the consistently problematic trap game that is a trip to SJR's home court in Palatka.

The final day of the regular season arrives, and with it Central Florida's scheduled visit to Daytona State. The game now carries all manner of new and exciting implications. CF, you see, enters the game with one glaring blemish on its otherwise attractive MFC schedule, the Jan. 30 homecoming loss to the very same Daytona State team. The Falcons, meanwhile, are a victory away from a perfect 8-0 conference mark.

The Patriots, tapping into deep reservoirs of team pride, personal accountablility and lingering regret, play 40 rage-fueled minutes of vengeful, smoldering basketball and defeat the Falcons. Now comes the mathematics. CF and Daytona State are 7-1 apiece. That's a tie. They've each won a game of their two-game head-to-head series, so that's another tie.

(Before reading on, I suggest you review my recent post, Explaining the Junior College Basketball Postseason. Yes, this post has a prerequisite, and I'm sorry if your guidance counselor didn't tell you.)

How to proceed? Penalty kicks? Friday Night Lights-style coin flip? Thumb wrestling? Thinking of a number between 1 and 10? All good suggestions, but the MFC has settled on winner-take-most, loser-take-significantly-less head-to-head bloodsport. CF and Daytona will break their tie in a one-game playoff, held the Friday after the end of the regular season (that's Feb. 19).

The winner of that game is declared MFC champion and awarded the first of the conference's two state tournament berths. The loser is tossed into a four-team playoff with the rest of the MFC non-champions, a three-game affair that works thusly:

Game 1: Fifth-place team @ fourth-place team

Game 2: Winner of Game 1 @ third-place team

Game 3: Winner of Game 2 @ second-place team

And the winner of Game 3 is the conference's other state tournament representative.

So if that fateful final-day CF-Daytona rematch comes to pass, the Patriots will follow one of two paths. Beat Daytona in that single-game playoff, and you can start planning for your first-round state tournament opponent. Lose to Daytona in that single-game playoff, and we've got an official elimination game out at Central Florida, with a strong likelihood that that opponent will be rival Santa Fe.

There are a lot of ways the last four games of this season could go, of course. Daytona could easily win out, including the finale against CF, and claim the conference outright. The Falcons could drop a game, maybe against Santa Fe, and enter that game against CF with one loss, making the final-day matchup a de facto conference championship game if the Patriots don't lose again.

The possibilities are many. That's why, at the tipping point of a season that started with the highest of expectations and is now threatened with the humblest of endings, these next three weeks promise to hold some of the most compelling basketball played at Central Florida in a long time. I hope you'll be there to see what happens.