The Patriots will play for Smith's 500th win on Wednesday at 3 p.m. against Mid-Florida Conference rival Santa Fe.
Another victory will place Smith, in his 17th year at the Patriot helm, in rare company among NJCAA coaches. At the start of the spring season, only 49 other active coaches had achieved 500 wins, including just four at Florida programs.
Smith entered this season with a career record of 491-349-3 since taking over the program in 1995. His tenure includes a pair of FCCAA state championships, won in 1997 and 1998, and five MFC titles. He was an all-conference middle infielder for the Patriots under Dr. Roger "Marty" Martinsen, and went on to join Dr. Martinsen's staff as an assistant and eventually replace his former coach.
His 499th win Tuesday was delivered by a 10th-inning rally and a Bradley Goodson walk-off. Ryan Rodriguez got on base with a bunt single, advanced on Scott Schaub's single to left field and crossed home on Goodson's game-winning hit to right.
