Central Florida came out on the wrong end of another high-scoring baseball game on Monday, dropping a 12-11 decision at South Florida.
Casey Smit had a 2-run home run, Scott Schaub went 3-for-5 and Dane Moore added 2 hits and 2 RBI to lead another explosive effort from the CF offense.
Mid-Florida Conference play and its accomanying clean slate arrives Wednesday as the Patriots (6-17-1) visit Seminole. The Raiders visit Ocala on Friday at 3 p.m. to complete the MFC-opening home-and-home series.
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Upcoming Games
Monday, February 28, 2011
Saturday, February 26, 2011
CF Patriots 11, Oakland 2; Polk 2, CF 0; South Florida 10, CF 8 (Softball)
Central Florida lost two of three softball games at Polk State on Saturday. The Patriots opened the day with an 11-2 win over Oakland before falling 2-0 to Polk and and 10-8 to South Florida.
Jessica Knight struck out 8 and gave up 3 hits over 5 innings to win the early game. Arika Fox went 4-for-4 with 3 runs scored and 3 stolen bases, while Miranda Anderson went 3-for-4 with 2 RBI.
Fox and Anderson also led the offense in the late loss to South Florida. Fox had a hit, 3 walks and an RBI, while Anderson went 2-for-4 and scored twice as the Patriots forced an extra inning. Knight went 4-for-5 in that game with 3 RBI.
CF (10-21) gets another shot at South Florida on Saturday as the Panthers visit Ocala for a 1 p.m. doubleheader.
Jessica Knight struck out 8 and gave up 3 hits over 5 innings to win the early game. Arika Fox went 4-for-4 with 3 runs scored and 3 stolen bases, while Miranda Anderson went 3-for-4 with 2 RBI.
Fox and Anderson also led the offense in the late loss to South Florida. Fox had a hit, 3 walks and an RBI, while Anderson went 2-for-4 and scored twice as the Patriots forced an extra inning. Knight went 4-for-5 in that game with 3 RBI.
CF (10-21) gets another shot at South Florida on Saturday as the Panthers visit Ocala for a 1 p.m. doubleheader.
Brevard 8, CF Patriots 3; Brevard 9, CF 8 (Baseball)
Central Florida lost both ends of a baseball doubleheader on Saturday, falling to visiting Brevard by scores of 8-3 and 9-8.
CF (6-16-1) has one more non-conference game to right its ship before Mid-Florida Conference play begins. The 24-game MFC slate, which begins Wednesday at Seminole and runs through April 22, decides which teams advance to the FCCAA State Tournament in May.
CF (6-16-1) has one more non-conference game to right its ship before Mid-Florida Conference play begins. The 24-game MFC slate, which begins Wednesday at Seminole and runs through April 22, decides which teams advance to the FCCAA State Tournament in May.
Friday, February 25, 2011
Indian River 16, CF Patriots 10 (Baseball)
Central Florida fell on the wrong side of a baseball slugfest Friday at Goodlett Field, dropping a 16-10 decision to visiting Indian River.
Christian Coburn had a triple and 3 RBI, Casey Smit had a double and 2 RBI and Jacob Zellner smashed a solo home run to pace a prolific CF offense. The Pioneers pulled away from a 10-10 tie with 6 runs over the final 2 innings.
The Patriots (6-14-1) host Brevard for a doubleheader at noon on Saturday.
Christian Coburn had a triple and 3 RBI, Casey Smit had a double and 2 RBI and Jacob Zellner smashed a solo home run to pace a prolific CF offense. The Pioneers pulled away from a 10-10 tie with 6 runs over the final 2 innings.
The Patriots (6-14-1) host Brevard for a doubleheader at noon on Saturday.
Thursday, February 24, 2011
CF Patriots 4, SCF-Sarasota 3; Sarasota 4, CF 1 (Softball)
Central Florida hosted the state's eighth-ranked softball team on Thursday and came away with an impressive doubleheader split. The Patriots won the first game 4-3, then lost 4-1.
Jessica Knight turned in a strong start for CF in the opener, allowing 8 hits and 2 earned runs in a complete-game victory. She also played a role in the Patriots' first-inning offense, following Miranda Anderson's RBI double with an RBI double of her own, and broke a 3-3 sixth-inning tie with a two-out, bases-loaded single that scored Kasie Cheney for the go-ahead and ultimately decisive run.
Brittany Baker, Megan David and Jessica Lopez joined Knight, Cheney and Anderson with multiple hits on the day.
CF (9-19) visits Polk on Saturday.
Jessica Knight turned in a strong start for CF in the opener, allowing 8 hits and 2 earned runs in a complete-game victory. She also played a role in the Patriots' first-inning offense, following Miranda Anderson's RBI double with an RBI double of her own, and broke a 3-3 sixth-inning tie with a two-out, bases-loaded single that scored Kasie Cheney for the go-ahead and ultimately decisive run.
Brittany Baker, Megan David and Jessica Lopez joined Knight, Cheney and Anderson with multiple hits on the day.
CF (9-19) visits Polk on Saturday.
Ocala's Shellee Thomas Signs Volleyball Scholarship
Shellee Thomas became the first local player in Patriot volleyball history Wednesday, joining friends, family and college staff in a signing ceremony at College of Central Florida.
The Ocala native and Meadowbrook Academy standout told the Star-Banner that she's always wanted to play volleyball at CF, even before the fledgling program was founded. The newest addition to CF's intercollegiate athletics offerings was made official this summer.
"I told my dad in fifth grade that I was going to play for (CF), which seemed kind of far-fetched since they didn't have a team," Shellee said. "Then when we heard they were getting a volleyball program it just kind of all fell into place. It's really exciting."
CF now has nine players in place for its debut season, including Thomas and fellow new signee Kylie Weber of nearby Lake Placid HS. Head coach Flavia Siqueira announced her first group of seven signees in early February.
CF Men Return to NJCAA Top 25
The Mid-Florida Conference champion Central Florida men's basketball team has earned national recognition for its strong regular season. The Patriots are ranked No. 24 in the latest NJCAA Top 25 National Poll.
CF (24-6, 10-2 MFC) is ranked third in the FCCAA, and is one of the four state teams to merit national rankings, joining No. 9 Chipola, No. 12 Palm Beach State, and No. 18 Northwest Florida State.
CF (24-6, 10-2 MFC) is ranked third in the FCCAA, and is one of the four state teams to merit national rankings, joining No. 9 Chipola, No. 12 Palm Beach State, and No. 18 Northwest Florida State.
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
CF Signs Local Catcher Gabby Valentin
Central Florida continues to stockpile in-state softball talent for the 2011-12 season. The 10th member of the impressive recruiting class is Gabby Valentin, a catcher from Marion County's Belleview High School.
Valentin, a four-year starter with the Rattlers, will reunite with former BHS teammate Kasie Cheney at CF.
Valentin, a four-year starter with the Rattlers, will reunite with former BHS teammate Kasie Cheney at CF.
CF Patriots 8, Indian River 5 (Baseball)
A strong start by Cody Lewis and an early home run from Scott Schaub put the Central Florida baseball team back in the win column Wednesday with an 8-5 win at Indian River.
Schaub's three-run first-inning blast gave the Patriots (6-12-1) an early lead, and Lewis did his part on the mound, yielding no earned runs over 7 innings while striking out 5. Schaub finished with 2 hits and 5 RBI, while Casey Smit went 3-for-4 with an RBI. Kyle Leja picked up the save.
The teams complete their home-and-home set on Friday at 3 p.m. at Goodlett Field.
Schaub's three-run first-inning blast gave the Patriots (6-12-1) an early lead, and Lewis did his part on the mound, yielding no earned runs over 7 innings while striking out 5. Schaub finished with 2 hits and 5 RBI, while Casey Smit went 3-for-4 with an RBI. Kyle Leja picked up the save.
The teams complete their home-and-home set on Friday at 3 p.m. at Goodlett Field.
Brackets Set for State Hoops Tournament
The men's and women's tournaments are eight-team, single elimination affairs that run concurrently from March 2-5 at Chipola College in Marianna, a small town along Interstate 10 in the Panhandle. The women play their quarterfinals Wednesday, the men's quarterfinals are Thursday, then both sides play their semifinals on Friday. The state champions are decided in a title-game doubleheader on Saturday, with each winning team advancing to its NJCAA Tournament in Kansas.
Here's the way the brackets are laid out for our CF squads:
MBB: The Mid-Florida Conference champion No. 3 Patriots (24-6, 10-2 MFC) will face No. 10 Brevard (18-13, 8-4 Southern), the runner-up of the Southern Conference, on Thursday, March 3 at 2 p.m. The Titans earned the spot by beating Miami-Dade in the conference tournament final on Tuesday night. CF did not play Brevard this season.
Should the Patriots advance to the semifinals, they'll face the winner of the quarterfinal matchup between Suncoast champion Polk State and Panhandle runner-up Tallahassee. CF defeated both teams in the regular season, winning at Polk 85-76 and at home against Tallahassee by a remarkable 36 points, 84-48.
On the other side of the bracket: Panhandle champion and tournament host Chipola; Suncoast runner-up St. Petersburg; Southern champion Palm Beach State; and Mid-Florida runner-up Daytona State.
WBB: The No. 9 Lady Patriots (17-13, 7-5 MFC) took the third and final state tournament berth allotted the MFC, and with it a quarterfinal date against Southern champion No. 8 Indian River State (18-6, 7-2 Southern) on Wednesday, March 2 at 2 p.m. CF did not face Indian River this season.
A quarterfinal victory would pit CF against the winner of the quarterfinal between Panhandle champion and national No. 1 Pensacola State and MFC runner-up Daytona State. The Lady Patriots lost to Pensacola 88-50 at home, and dropped all three of its meetings with Daytona.
On the other side of the bracket: MFC champion Santa Fe; Southern third-place finisher Miami-Dade; Panhandle runner-up Northwest Florida State; and Southern runner-up St. Petersburg.
Visit Chipola's tournament Web site for more information.
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
Hillsborough 6, CF Patriots 4; Hillsborough 6, CF 5 (Softball)
Central Florida suffered a pair of narrow losses on its home field Tuesday, falling to Hillsborough by scores of 6-4 and 6-5.
CF plated all of its opening-game runs in the fourth inning behind Samantha Sibley's two-run double and RBI singles from Jandrew Collins and Kasie Cheney.
The Patriots strung together another two series of hits in the late game. Miranda Anderson drew a bases-loaded walk to score Cheney, then Brittany Baker brought Jessica Lopez home with a sacrifice fly to trim the Hawks lead to 5-2 through 5 innings. Jandrew Collins' 2-run double and Lopez's RBI single gave the Patriots two more runs in the sixth.
CF (8-18) hosts SCF-Sarasota on Thursday at 2 p.m.
CF plated all of its opening-game runs in the fourth inning behind Samantha Sibley's two-run double and RBI singles from Jandrew Collins and Kasie Cheney.
The Patriots strung together another two series of hits in the late game. Miranda Anderson drew a bases-loaded walk to score Cheney, then Brittany Baker brought Jessica Lopez home with a sacrifice fly to trim the Hawks lead to 5-2 through 5 innings. Jandrew Collins' 2-run double and Lopez's RBI single gave the Patriots two more runs in the sixth.
CF (8-18) hosts SCF-Sarasota on Thursday at 2 p.m.
Six Lady Patriots Named to All-MFC Squads
Freshmen Quinnecia Twine, Janay Borum, Yasmeen Thompson and Briana Gibson were named to the 12-player all-conference first team, while freshmen Tiara Smith and Moniqua Darby made the second team.
Freshman Charo Fowler earned honorable mention.
CF Alum Nick Ebert Signs with Yankees
Ebert, a former Central Florida Patriot standout who helped South Carolina to a College World Series championship in 2010, has signed with the New York Yankees, the team that drafted him after his junior season with the Gamecocks. Instead, he returned to South Carolina, where he earned an NCAA championship ring but saw his name go uncalled on draft day.
Ebert told the Star-Banner about his feelings upon arriving in Tampa.
“I was kind of overwhelmed,” Ebert said. “Just seeing all the Yankee gear, seeing my name on it with the Yankee logo. That’s my dream and I’m finally there. It was a long, hard road for me.”
Monday, February 21, 2011
CF's Kevin Foster Named Mid-Florida Conference Player of the Year
Foster, a former George Mason freshman committed to transfer to Division I Fresno State after the season, headlines a list of five Patriots to earn a spot on the all-MFC first or second team. Fellow sophomores Slobodan Miljanic and Mathiang Muo joined Foster on the first team, while guards Addison Smith and Hunter Williams made the second team.
Sophomore A.J. Holland and freshmen Alhaji Fullah and Brian Pace earned honorable mention.
CF head coach Tim Ryan was named the MFC Coach of the Year by virtue of the Patriots winning the conference title. The award is Ryan's fourth in eight seasons at CF.
Foster's honor marks the third consecutive year a Patriot has taken MFC Player of the Year honors. Ricardo Ratliffe earned the award in each of his two seasons at CF.
Dundalk 5, CF Patriots 3 (Baseball)
Central Florida fell to visiting Dundalk 5-3 on Monday.
Kyle Moeder produced a strong start in defeat, yielding 3 earned runs and striking out 4 in a 5-inning stint. Christian Coburn headlined the offense with a triple among his 2 hits and an RBI.
CF (5-13-1) looks to get on track this week with a home-and-home series against Indian River. The Patriots are away Wednesday, then host IR on Friday at 3 p.m.
Kyle Moeder produced a strong start in defeat, yielding 3 earned runs and striking out 4 in a 5-inning stint. Christian Coburn headlined the offense with a triple among his 2 hits and an RBI.
CF (5-13-1) looks to get on track this week with a home-and-home series against Indian River. The Patriots are away Wednesday, then host IR on Friday at 3 p.m.
Sunday, February 20, 2011
CF Patriots 18, Broward 10; CF 6, Pasco-Hernando 4 (Softball)
A resurgent Central Florida softball squad completed a 6-3 week with a pair of wins Sunday at the St. Petersburg College Invitational. The Patriots beat Broward 18-10 in 6 innings and Pasco-Hernando 6-4.
Jessica Lopez, Miranda Anderson, Jandrew Collins, Arika Fox, and Megan David had 2 hits apiece, while Lopez drove in 2 and scored 2 and Belinda Rennes scored 4 times in the mercy-rule early-game romp. Lopez starred again in the nightcap, going 3-for-3 with a run scored. Jessica Knight added 2 hits, 2 RBI and a run for the Patriots.
CF (8-16) won three of five games over the weekend and has won 6 of its last 9 games after a discouraging 2-13 start to the season. The hot streak comes at an opportune time, as Mid-Florida Conference play begins on March 10.
The Patriots host Hillsborough on Tuesday at 2 p.m.
Jessica Lopez, Miranda Anderson, Jandrew Collins, Arika Fox, and Megan David had 2 hits apiece, while Lopez drove in 2 and scored 2 and Belinda Rennes scored 4 times in the mercy-rule early-game romp. Lopez starred again in the nightcap, going 3-for-3 with a run scored. Jessica Knight added 2 hits, 2 RBI and a run for the Patriots.
CF (8-16) won three of five games over the weekend and has won 6 of its last 9 games after a discouraging 2-13 start to the season. The hot streak comes at an opportune time, as Mid-Florida Conference play begins on March 10.
The Patriots host Hillsborough on Tuesday at 2 p.m.
Saturday, February 19, 2011
CF Patriots 84, FSC-Jacksonville 61 (MBB)
Central Florida put a final touch on a successful men's basketball regular season with an 84-61 trouncing of FSC-Jacksonville.
CF held the Stars to 16 points on 27 percent shooting in the first half, then exploded offensively after halftime with a 51-point second half. Twelve Patriots recorded at least 2 points, and four reached double figures: lone returning sophomore Slobodan Miljanic celebrated his final CF home game with a game-high 18 points, including 4 three-pointers. Guards Hunter Williams, Addison Smith, and A.J. Holland added 11 points each.
Though CF clinched the Mid-Florida Conference title on Feb. 12, the win does give the Patriots considerable momentum entering the FCCAA/NJCAA Region VIII Tournament. CF (24-6, 10-2 MFC) now owns a four-game winning streak, including two consecutive wins of at least 23 points, as it prepares for its quarterfinal matchup with the still-undetermined Southern Conference runner-up. That game will take place Thursday, March 3, at Chipola College in Marianna.
CF held the Stars to 16 points on 27 percent shooting in the first half, then exploded offensively after halftime with a 51-point second half. Twelve Patriots recorded at least 2 points, and four reached double figures: lone returning sophomore Slobodan Miljanic celebrated his final CF home game with a game-high 18 points, including 4 three-pointers. Guards Hunter Williams, Addison Smith, and A.J. Holland added 11 points each.
Though CF clinched the Mid-Florida Conference title on Feb. 12, the win does give the Patriots considerable momentum entering the FCCAA/NJCAA Region VIII Tournament. CF (24-6, 10-2 MFC) now owns a four-game winning streak, including two consecutive wins of at least 23 points, as it prepares for its quarterfinal matchup with the still-undetermined Southern Conference runner-up. That game will take place Thursday, March 3, at Chipola College in Marianna.
CF Lady Patriots 63, FSC-Jacksonville 61 (WBB)
Central Florida wrapped up its women's basketball regular season Saturday with a workmanlike 63-61 victory over FSC-Jacksonville.
Yasmeen Thompson hit her second game-winning shot in as many games, executing a textbook pick-and-roll with Quinnecia Twine and depositing a layup with 9 seconds remaining to break a 61-61 tie. The shot was an encore to the last-second offensive putback on Wednesday that gave the Lady Patriots a win over Hillsborough and clinched their postseason berth.
Twine led the Lady Patriots with 15 points, while Thompson and point guard Janay Borum added 14 apiece as the home team shook off an eight-point halftime deficit to earn the victory.
CF (17-13, 7-5 Mid-Florida Conference) enters the FCCAA/NJCAA Region VIII Tournament as the MFC's third seed, and will face Southern Conference champion Indian River State in a quarterfinal on Wednesday, March 2 at Chipola College in Marianna.
Yasmeen Thompson hit her second game-winning shot in as many games, executing a textbook pick-and-roll with Quinnecia Twine and depositing a layup with 9 seconds remaining to break a 61-61 tie. The shot was an encore to the last-second offensive putback on Wednesday that gave the Lady Patriots a win over Hillsborough and clinched their postseason berth.
Twine led the Lady Patriots with 15 points, while Thompson and point guard Janay Borum added 14 apiece as the home team shook off an eight-point halftime deficit to earn the victory.
CF (17-13, 7-5 Mid-Florida Conference) enters the FCCAA/NJCAA Region VIII Tournament as the MFC's third seed, and will face Southern Conference champion Indian River State in a quarterfinal on Wednesday, March 2 at Chipola College in Marianna.
Hillsborough 3, CF Patriots 0; CF 7, St. Johns River 6; St. Petersburg 8, CF 3 (Softball)
Central Florida knocked off Mid-Florida Conference rival St. Johns River 7-6 in the midst of a three-game Saturday at St. Petersburg College's annual softball invitational. CF took losses in its other two games, falling 3-0 to Hillsborough and 8-3 to host St. Pete.
Kasie Cheney, the local prep product who joined the Patriots at the holiday break, drove in the winning run in the Patriots' non-conference victory over the Vikings. Entering the seventh and final inning trailing 6-5, CF staged a successful rally sparked by Brittany Baker's leadoff single. Samantha Sibley took first after being hit by a pitch, then Miranda Anderson drove in former Lake Weir High School teammate Baker with a game-tying single. Cheney's two-out infield single drove in Jessica Lopez, pinch-running for Sibley, from third for the walk-off win.
Anderson went 3-for-4 with 2 RBI in the win, while Arika Fox went 2-for-2 with a triple and an RBI and Megan David went 2-for-4 with a run scored. Jandrew Collins hit a solo home run in the victory, then went 2-for-3 with 2 RBI in the game against the host Titans.
CF plays two more games at St. Pete on Sunday, facing Broward at noon and Pasco-Hernando at 2:30 p.m.
Kasie Cheney, the local prep product who joined the Patriots at the holiday break, drove in the winning run in the Patriots' non-conference victory over the Vikings. Entering the seventh and final inning trailing 6-5, CF staged a successful rally sparked by Brittany Baker's leadoff single. Samantha Sibley took first after being hit by a pitch, then Miranda Anderson drove in former Lake Weir High School teammate Baker with a game-tying single. Cheney's two-out infield single drove in Jessica Lopez, pinch-running for Sibley, from third for the walk-off win.
Anderson went 3-for-4 with 2 RBI in the win, while Arika Fox went 2-for-2 with a triple and an RBI and Megan David went 2-for-4 with a run scored. Jandrew Collins hit a solo home run in the victory, then went 2-for-3 with 2 RBI in the game against the host Titans.
CF plays two more games at St. Pete on Sunday, facing Broward at noon and Pasco-Hernando at 2:30 p.m.
South Georgia 7, CF Patriots 5; CF 6, South Georgia 4 (Baseball)
Central Florida split a pair of games against host South Georgia College on Saturday, recovering from an opening 7-5 loss with a 6-4 victory.
Casey Elkins went 2-for-3 with a double and a run scored, while fellow Marion County-bred freshman Scott Schaub went 2-for-3 with an RBI in the opener.
Freshman Nick Arscott hurled a complete-game win in the nightcap, yielding 2 earned runs over 7 innings. Nick Radomski, Casey Smit and Dane Moore had 2 hits apiece to pace the CF offense.
The Patriots (5-12-1) return to the Sunshine State and their home Goodlett Field on Monday, hosting Dundalk at 3 p.m.
Casey Elkins went 2-for-3 with a double and a run scored, while fellow Marion County-bred freshman Scott Schaub went 2-for-3 with an RBI in the opener.
Freshman Nick Arscott hurled a complete-game win in the nightcap, yielding 2 earned runs over 7 innings. Nick Radomski, Casey Smit and Dane Moore had 2 hits apiece to pace the CF offense.
The Patriots (5-12-1) return to the Sunshine State and their home Goodlett Field on Monday, hosting Dundalk at 3 p.m.
Friday, February 18, 2011
South Georgia 13, CF Patriots 6 (Baseball)
Central Florida took a 13-6 loss Friday night at South Georgia College in Douglas, Ga.
Nick Radomski continued his strong season at the plate with a 3-for-5 outing, including a double, a triple and an RBI.
The Patriots face South Georgia again Saturday in a noon doubleheader.
Nick Radomski continued his strong season at the plate with a 3-for-5 outing, including a double, a triple and an RBI.
The Patriots face South Georgia again Saturday in a noon doubleheader.
CF Signs Pair of Pitchers to 2011-12 Softball Class
Central Florida is continuing its agressive recruitment of in-state softball talent with the addition of two new pitchers to its 2011-12 signing class.
Addie Dozier is set to graduate from Tallahassee's Florida High this spring a year ahead of schedule, and is expected to make an immediate impact on the rebuilding Patriots' fortunes as a dominant pitcher with a powerful, run-producing swing at the plate.
Tori Stamper is rounding out an all-state prep career at nearby Williston HS, a perennial postseason contender. Her experience taking the mound in big games should prove invaluable as the Patriots plan their ascent up the state rankings.
The Patriots have been proactive in building a talent base for future seasons. The signings of Dozier and Stamper bring the program's 2011-12 freshman class to nine, including two Tallahassee Chiles teammates, a group of four regional stars and an Orlando-area pitching prospect.
Addie Dozier is set to graduate from Tallahassee's Florida High this spring a year ahead of schedule, and is expected to make an immediate impact on the rebuilding Patriots' fortunes as a dominant pitcher with a powerful, run-producing swing at the plate.
Tori Stamper is rounding out an all-state prep career at nearby Williston HS, a perennial postseason contender. Her experience taking the mound in big games should prove invaluable as the Patriots plan their ascent up the state rankings.
The Patriots have been proactive in building a talent base for future seasons. The signings of Dozier and Stamper bring the program's 2011-12 freshman class to nine, including two Tallahassee Chiles teammates, a group of four regional stars and an Orlando-area pitching prospect.
Thursday, February 17, 2011
CF Patriots 7, Pasco-Hernando 2; Pasco 6, CF 3 (Softball)
Central Florida won its third consecutive softball game on Thursday with a 7-2 victory over Pasco-Hernando. The Patriots saw their win streak snapped in the second game of the doubleheader, falling 6-3.
The opening-game win was the product of a potent mix of pitching and offense. Jessica Knight allowed 8 hits and 2 unearned runs while striking out 6 in a powerful complete-game effort. The sophomore also added 2 hits, a run and an RBI, while Megan David notched a hit, a run and 2 RBI, Jandrew Collins collected 3 hits and scored twice and Samantha Sibley blasted a solo home run. David continued her strong recent play with 2 hits, a run and an RBI in the late game.
CF (5-14) has a busy weekend ahead with 5 games scheduled over Saturday and Sunday at St. Petersburg College's annual invitational tournament.
The opening-game win was the product of a potent mix of pitching and offense. Jessica Knight allowed 8 hits and 2 unearned runs while striking out 6 in a powerful complete-game effort. The sophomore also added 2 hits, a run and an RBI, while Megan David notched a hit, a run and 2 RBI, Jandrew Collins collected 3 hits and scored twice and Samantha Sibley blasted a solo home run. David continued her strong recent play with 2 hits, a run and an RBI in the late game.
CF (5-14) has a busy weekend ahead with 5 games scheduled over Saturday and Sunday at St. Petersburg College's annual invitational tournament.
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
CF Lady Patriots 53, Hillsborough 52 (WBB)
Central Florida clinched a women's basketball postseason berth on Wednesday with a stunning 53-52 comeback victory at Hillsborough.
The Lady Patriots trailed 52-48 with 2:30 to play, but scored the final 5 points of the game to claim the victory. Point guard Janay Borum picked off a pass on the perimeter and converted a breakaway layup to cut the Lady Hawks lead to 2, then Thompson halved the CF deficit with a free throw with 45 seconds to play. Borum forced a Hillsborough turnover as the Lady Hawks attempted to inbound on the CF baseline, giving the Lady Patriots the ball in their frontcourt with 7.2 seconds and setting up Thompson's dramatic game winner.
With the win, CF finally eliminated a persistent Hillsborough squad from playoff contention. CF (16-13, 6-5 MFC) moved two games ahead of the Lady Hawks (4-7 MFC) with one game remaining on each team's schedule.
The Lady Patriots will face the champion of the Southern Conference at the FCCAA/NJCAA Region VIII Tournament in Marianna on Wednesday, March 2. The Southern Conference title has not yet been decided, and games times have not yet been announced.
CF will first have one last regular-season tuneup, hosting FSC-Jacksonville on Saturday at 5:30 p.m.
Yasmeen Thompson's offensive rebound and putback with under a second to play gave the Lady Patriots the victory and the third and final postseason berth allotted to the Mid-Florida Conference.
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| Thompson |
With the win, CF finally eliminated a persistent Hillsborough squad from playoff contention. CF (16-13, 6-5 MFC) moved two games ahead of the Lady Hawks (4-7 MFC) with one game remaining on each team's schedule.
The Lady Patriots will face the champion of the Southern Conference at the FCCAA/NJCAA Region VIII Tournament in Marianna on Wednesday, March 2. The Southern Conference title has not yet been decided, and games times have not yet been announced.
CF will first have one last regular-season tuneup, hosting FSC-Jacksonville on Saturday at 5:30 p.m.
CF Patriots 108, St. Johns River 80 (MBB)
Central Florida reiterated its Mid-Florida Conference dominance on Wednesday, trouncing second-place St. Johns River 108-80 at Palatka.
Mathiang Muo led an outside shooting barrage that should put the rest of the FCCAA on notice as the FCCAA/NJCAA Region VIII Tournament approaches. The sophomore hit 5 first-half three-pointers, a third of CF's remarkable 15 three-pointers on the game, en route to a 25-point effort. Patriot power forward Kevin Foster led all scorers with 33 points.
CF (23-6, 9-2 MFC) clinched the MFC title on Saturday, and now has eliminated the possibility of a tie with SJR that would have given the Patriots the conference crown on the strength of a tiebreaker. Instead, the Patriots further established themselves as the class of the conference and set up a three-team, single-elimination tournament between SJR, Santa Fe and Daytona State that will determine the conference's second state tournament representative.
The Patriots, meanwhile, will wrap up their regular season on Saturday, hosting FSC-Jacksonville at 7:30 p.m.
Mathiang Muo led an outside shooting barrage that should put the rest of the FCCAA on notice as the FCCAA/NJCAA Region VIII Tournament approaches. The sophomore hit 5 first-half three-pointers, a third of CF's remarkable 15 three-pointers on the game, en route to a 25-point effort. Patriot power forward Kevin Foster led all scorers with 33 points.
CF (23-6, 9-2 MFC) clinched the MFC title on Saturday, and now has eliminated the possibility of a tie with SJR that would have given the Patriots the conference crown on the strength of a tiebreaker. Instead, the Patriots further established themselves as the class of the conference and set up a three-team, single-elimination tournament between SJR, Santa Fe and Daytona State that will determine the conference's second state tournament representative.
The Patriots, meanwhile, will wrap up their regular season on Saturday, hosting FSC-Jacksonville at 7:30 p.m.
Hillsborough 2, CF Patriots 1 (Baseball)
Central Florida squandered a strong start by Cody Lewis in a 2-1 loss to Hillsborough on Wednesday at Goodlett Field.
Lewis threw 5 shutout innings to keep the Patriots in the game, allowing just 4 hits while striking out 6. Casey Smit manufactured the lone CF run. He drew a fifth-inning walk, stole second base, moved to third on a scoring error and came home on a Josh Whitchurch sacrifice fly.
The Patriots (4-10-1) now head north for a pair of games at South Georgia on Friday and Saturday.
Lewis threw 5 shutout innings to keep the Patriots in the game, allowing just 4 hits while striking out 6. Casey Smit manufactured the lone CF run. He drew a fifth-inning walk, stole second base, moved to third on a scoring error and came home on a Josh Whitchurch sacrifice fly.
The Patriots (4-10-1) now head north for a pair of games at South Georgia on Friday and Saturday.
Lady Patriots Battle Hillsborough for Playoff Spot Tonight
WBB: One of the teams in tonight's game will be the Mid-Florida Conference's third state tournament representative; the other will miss the postseason entirely. CF (5-5 MFC) can settle the matter tonight with a win over host Hillsborough (4-6 MFC), which would guarantee at least a 6-6 finish while the Lady Hawks would finish no better than 5-7. Though CF has beaten Hillsborough twice this season, both by double digits, the win is no foregone conclusion; the Lady Hawks shocked MFC front-runner Daytona State on Feb. 9 and are riding a two-game win streak.
MBB: The Patriots wrapped up the MFC title on Saturday, securing its berth and seeding in the FCCAA State Tournament starting March 3 in Marianna. So CF is playing for pride and momentum tonight against a Vikings team with an awful lot at stake. If CF (8-2 MFC) and SJR (6-4 MFC) both finish at 8-4 - that would require a Vikings win tonight and a CF loss and Vikings win on Saturday - then SJR ties CF for first place. CF would still be conference champion on the strength of its head-to-head series advantage over SJR, but the equal record would give the Vikings an automatic state tournament berth as the conference's second seed. Should CF claim first place outright, SJR would join Daytona and Santa Fe in a dangerous single-elimination tournament to determine the MFC's second postseason representative. The short version of that is that CF should expect to encounter a highly motivated Vikings squad tonight.
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
CF Patriots 8, St. Petersburg 2; CF 4, St. Pete 1 (Softball)
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| Anderson |
Sophomore Jessica Knight starred in the opener, picking up the win on the mound with a 4-hit, 2-run, 7-strikeout complete-game effort and pacing the offense with 3 doubles, 2 RBI and a run scored. Lake Weir graduates Brittany Baker and Miranda Anderson provided pop in the middle of the order with 2 hits a piece, and sophomore Samantha Sibley hit a 2-run home run in the Patriots' most explosive offensive performance of the season.
Developing pitcher Arika Fox earned her first win in the nightcap, scattering 5 hits and an earned run over 5.1 innings. Knight recorded the final 5 outs to earn the save, while Anderson hit a solo shot for her first collegiate home run.
With its 10-game losing skid now history, CF (4-13) looks to continue its first win streak of the season on Thursday as Pasco-Hernando visits for a 2 p.m. doubleheader.
Monday, February 14, 2011
St. Petersburg 19, CF Patriots 13 (Baseball)
The Central Florida offense produced a season-high 13 runs on Monday, but it wasn't enough to earn a win as visiting St. Petersburg claimed a 19-13 victory.
Nick Radomski homered for the second time in the last four games for the Patriots (4-9-1).
CF hosts Hillsborough on Wednesday at 3 p.m.
Nick Radomski homered for the second time in the last four games for the Patriots (4-9-1).
CF hosts Hillsborough on Wednesday at 3 p.m.
Sunday, February 13, 2011
Baseball's Jacob Zellner Headlines CF Academic Honorees
Zellner headlined a long and impressive list of Patriot student-athletes recognized for their academic achievement at halftime of the homecoming men's basketball game Saturday night.
The full list of honorees:
President's List (4.00 GPA)
Jacob Zellner (baseball).
Dean's List (3.30-3.99 GPA)
Miranda Anderson (softball), Brittany Baker (softball), Casey Elkins (baseball), Arika Fox (softball), Simone High (women's basketball), A.J. Holland (men's basketball), Hunter Jones (baseball), Scott Schaub (baseball), Ryan Thombs (baseball), Yasmeen Thompson (women's basketball), Quinnecia Twine (women's basketball).
Director's List (3.00-3.29 GPA)
Danny Alimonti (baseball), Christian Coburn (baseball), Briana Gibson (women's basketball), Jessica Knight (softball), Kyle Leja (baseball), Cody Lewis (baseball), Jessica Lopez (softball), Cole Miraglia (baseball), Nick Radomski (baseball), Ryan Rodriquez (baseball), Samantha Sibley (softball), Taylor Skipper (softball), Hunter Williams (men's basketball).
Indian River 6, CF Patriots 4 (Softball)
Central Florida forced an extra inning for the second consecutive game on Sunday at Clermont before falling to Indian River 6-4 in 8 innings.
The Patriots (2-13) mounted a comeback after falling behind 4-1 entering the bottom of the seventh inning. Jessica Knight led off with a double and came around to score on a Belinda Rennes single. Fellow sophomore Jandrew Collins then tied the game with a 2-out, 2-run single to right field. Indian River plated a run in the top of the eighth for the victory.
Collins went 3-for-4 on the day with a triple and 3 RBI.
The Patriots host St. Petersburg on Tuesday at 2 p.m.
The Patriots (2-13) mounted a comeback after falling behind 4-1 entering the bottom of the seventh inning. Jessica Knight led off with a double and came around to score on a Belinda Rennes single. Fellow sophomore Jandrew Collins then tied the game with a 2-out, 2-run single to right field. Indian River plated a run in the top of the eighth for the victory.
Collins went 3-for-4 on the day with a triple and 3 RBI.
The Patriots host St. Petersburg on Tuesday at 2 p.m.
Saturday, February 12, 2011
CF Patriots 70, Daytona State 68 (MBB)
Central Florida clinched the men's basketball Mid-Florida Conference title Saturday night with a 70-68 win over Daytona State in front of a packed crowd of homecoming revelers.
Kevin Foster scored 20 points, including two game-sealing free throws in the final seconds, and added 10 rebounds to pace the Patriots. Slobodan Miljanic, the lone returning sophomore, added 19 points and 8 rebounds, scoring 14 of his points in the second half. And 4 of point guard Hunter Williams' 6 points came on a pair of layups in the final two minutes that kept the rallying Falcons at bay.
With the victory, CF (22-6, 8-2) will finish no worse than 8-4, while second-place St. Johns River can finish no better than 8-4. Should the teams finish tied, the Patriots would claim the tiebreaker with the head-to-head advantage in their season series against SJR.
By winning the conference, the Patriots avoid the dangerous conference tournament, which pits the second, third and fourth-place teams in a single-elimination playoff to determine the conference's second state tournament representative. As the MFC champion, CF will face the runner-up of the Southern Conference in the quarterfinal round of the FCCAA/NJCAA Region VIII Tournament on Thursday, March 3 at Marianna. Game times have not yet been announced.
Though they've now been rendered academic, the Patriots have two regular-season games remaining. They visit St. Johns River on Wednesday, then host FSC-Jacksonville on Saturday, Feb. 19.
Daytona State 63, CF Lady Patriots 61 (WBB)
Central Florida mounted a valiant comeback against Daytona State on Saturday before falling 63-61.
The loss eliminates CF from contention for the Mid-Florida Conference title and damages its postseason hopes, though the Lady Patriots (15-13, 5-5 MFC) still maintain a one-game lead over idle Hillsborough (4-6 MFC) for the conference's third and final state tournament berth with two games left to play. CF visits Hillsborough on Wednesday in a game that will go a long way toward settling the matter.
CF overcame a 30-18 halftime deficit with a second-half run that tied the game at 58, but the Lady Falcons held on with late free throws and defensive stops.
Janay Borum led the Lady Patriots with 14 points and 5 steals, while Briana Gibson added 8 points and 10 rebounds.
The loss eliminates CF from contention for the Mid-Florida Conference title and damages its postseason hopes, though the Lady Patriots (15-13, 5-5 MFC) still maintain a one-game lead over idle Hillsborough (4-6 MFC) for the conference's third and final state tournament berth with two games left to play. CF visits Hillsborough on Wednesday in a game that will go a long way toward settling the matter.
CF overcame a 30-18 halftime deficit with a second-half run that tied the game at 58, but the Lady Falcons held on with late free throws and defensive stops.
Janay Borum led the Lady Patriots with 14 points and 5 steals, while Briana Gibson added 8 points and 10 rebounds.
CF Men Look to Clinch Conference Title
The large crowd expected for tonight's homecoming festivities, and those watching live online via Panhandle Broadcasting, will see the most important basketball games of Central Florida's season. Here's what they're playing for:
MBB: The stakes for the Patriots are clear: they clinch the Mid-Florida Conference championship with a victory.
If the Patriots win, they can finish no worse than 8-4, while St. Johns River can finish no better than 8-4. Should CF and SJR finish tied, the winner of the head-to-head season series wins the conference championship. CF has already clinched that series with two wins over SJR.
Should CF lose, it would remain one win away from clinching the conference title. A win Wednesday at SJR or Saturday at home against FSC-Jacksonville would also close the deal.
WBB: Wednesday's events - Hillsborough's shocking upset of Daytona State and CF's last-second win over Santa Fe - tightened the conference considerably. As the final week of conference play begins tonight, CF is in an odd position where it could win the conference or miss the playoffs entirely.
The top three teams at the end of the regular season are awarded the Mid-Florida Conference’s three state tournament berths. With a win tonight, CF would be one more win or Hillsborough loss away from clinching third place and a state tournament spot, and would stay in striking distance of the higher two seeds currently occupied by Daytona and Santa Fe. Should CF lose, it would remain at risk of being caught by Hillsborough.
MBB: The stakes for the Patriots are clear: they clinch the Mid-Florida Conference championship with a victory.
If the Patriots win, they can finish no worse than 8-4, while St. Johns River can finish no better than 8-4. Should CF and SJR finish tied, the winner of the head-to-head season series wins the conference championship. CF has already clinched that series with two wins over SJR.
Should CF lose, it would remain one win away from clinching the conference title. A win Wednesday at SJR or Saturday at home against FSC-Jacksonville would also close the deal.
MFC STANDINGS
Central Florida 7-2
St. Johns River 6-4
Daytona State 5-5
Santa Fe 4-6
FSC-Jacksonville 2-7
REMAINING SCHEDULE
February 12
Daytona State @ Central Florida
Santa Fe @ FSC-Jacksonville
February 16
FSC-Jacksonville @ Daytona State
Central Florida @ St. Johns River
February 19
St. Johns River @ Santa Fe
FSC-Jacksonville @ Central Florida
WBB: Wednesday's events - Hillsborough's shocking upset of Daytona State and CF's last-second win over Santa Fe - tightened the conference considerably. As the final week of conference play begins tonight, CF is in an odd position where it could win the conference or miss the playoffs entirely.
The top three teams at the end of the regular season are awarded the Mid-Florida Conference’s three state tournament berths. With a win tonight, CF would be one more win or Hillsborough loss away from clinching third place and a state tournament spot, and would stay in striking distance of the higher two seeds currently occupied by Daytona and Santa Fe. Should CF lose, it would remain at risk of being caught by Hillsborough.
MFC STANDINGS
Daytona State 7-3
Santa Fe 7-3
Central Florida 5-4
Hillsborough 4-6
FSC-Jacksonville 1-8
REMAINING SCHEDULE
February 12
Daytona State @ Central Florida
Santa Fe @ FSC-Jacksonville
February 16
FSC-Jacksonville @ Daytona State
Central Florida @ Hillsborough
February 19
Hillsborough @ Santa Fe
FSC-Jacksonville @ Central Florida
Gulf Coast 6, CF Patriots 0; CF 9, Gulf Coast 6 (Baseball)
Central Florida shook off an early-game shutout to earn a baseball split Saturday at Goodlett Field. Visiting Gulf Coast took the opener 6-0; the Patriots won the late game 9-6.
CF scored 7 runs in the bottom of the sixth to erase a 5-2 Commodores lead and claim the second game of the doubleheader. A pair of Marion County products figured prominently in the decisive inning: Belleview graduate Nick Radomski stroked a 2-run single with the bases loaded to jump-start the rally, and Vanguard graduate Scott Schaub singled in a run, stole second base and came around a score to cap the big inning.
Another local, Belleview alumnus Charlie Neely, picked up the win in relief, scattering 3 hits and a run over the final 2 innings.
Josh Whitchurch continued to swing a hot bat for the Patriots, going 2-for-3 in each game while driving in a run and scoring in the nightcap.
CF (4-8-1) hosts St. Petersburg on Monday at 3 p.m.
CF scored 7 runs in the bottom of the sixth to erase a 5-2 Commodores lead and claim the second game of the doubleheader. A pair of Marion County products figured prominently in the decisive inning: Belleview graduate Nick Radomski stroked a 2-run single with the bases loaded to jump-start the rally, and Vanguard graduate Scott Schaub singled in a run, stole second base and came around a score to cap the big inning.
Another local, Belleview alumnus Charlie Neely, picked up the win in relief, scattering 3 hits and a run over the final 2 innings.
Josh Whitchurch continued to swing a hot bat for the Patriots, going 2-for-3 in each game while driving in a run and scoring in the nightcap.
CF (4-8-1) hosts St. Petersburg on Monday at 3 p.m.
Polk 13, CF Patriots 2; Polk 3, CF 2 (Softball)
Central Florida forced an extra inning in pursuit of a doubleheader softball split Saturday before falling short 3-2. Visiting Polk took the opener 13-2.
Sophomore leadoff hitter Megan David tied the nightcap at 1 with an RBI single in the seventh inning, forcing an extra frame. After the Vikings plated 2 runs in the top of the eighth, sophomore slugger Brittany Baker kept the pressure on with an RBI double in the home half of the inning, but the Patriots couldn't manufacture the tying run for a second consecutive inning.
Jessica Knight continued her solid play at the plate and on the mound, blasting a 2-run home run in the opener and producing a strong complete-game pitching effort in the nightcap.
CF (2-12) travels to Clermont on Sunday to face Indian River. First pitch is at 1 p.m.
Sophomore leadoff hitter Megan David tied the nightcap at 1 with an RBI single in the seventh inning, forcing an extra frame. After the Vikings plated 2 runs in the top of the eighth, sophomore slugger Brittany Baker kept the pressure on with an RBI double in the home half of the inning, but the Patriots couldn't manufacture the tying run for a second consecutive inning.
Jessica Knight continued her solid play at the plate and on the mound, blasting a 2-run home run in the opener and producing a strong complete-game pitching effort in the nightcap.
CF (2-12) travels to Clermont on Sunday to face Indian River. First pitch is at 1 p.m.
Friday, February 11, 2011
South Florida 8, CF Patriots 2 (Baseball)
A promising pitcher's duel got out of hand for the Patriots on Friday at Goodlett Field as South Florida piled on late runs in an 8-2 win.
Nick Radomski put the Patriots ahead in the second inning with a 2-run home run over the towering leftfield fence. The shot provided CF starter Nick Arscott with the cushion he needed, and the freshman righthander pitched 5 strong innings of 3-hit, shutout.
But the Panthers touched the Patriot bullpen for multiple runs in three of the remaining four innings as the CF bats fell silent. First baseman Danny Alimonti had 2 hits and a walk for the home team.
CF (3-7-1) hosts Gulf Coast in a noon doubleheader on Saturday.
Nick Radomski put the Patriots ahead in the second inning with a 2-run home run over the towering leftfield fence. The shot provided CF starter Nick Arscott with the cushion he needed, and the freshman righthander pitched 5 strong innings of 3-hit, shutout.
But the Panthers touched the Patriot bullpen for multiple runs in three of the remaining four innings as the CF bats fell silent. First baseman Danny Alimonti had 2 hits and a walk for the home team.
CF (3-7-1) hosts Gulf Coast in a noon doubleheader on Saturday.
GoGamecocks.com: Grant Makes Her Move for USC
She is a menace on defense and is tied for third on the team in steals. She plays at a fast pace, and that is something (head coach Dawn) Staley likes about the 5-6 guard.
"She can change the complexion of the game on both sides with her speed,” Staley said. “I’m happy she’s gained her confidence. She helps us get jump-started sometimes.”
Grant continued her resurgence Thursday night as the Gamecocks upset No. 15 Kentucky 66-61, scoring 8 points in a decisive 14-2 Carolina run. That prompted more praise from Staley, the legendary point guard now at the helm in Columbia.
“Markeshia played great,” coach Dawn Staley said. “We tried to work with her this week on just finishing at the basket. She can get there with her speed. She doesn’t always finish, but she focused and finished tonight.”
Grant finished with 12 points, including the final two of the game on a pair of clutch free throws to seal the victory.
CF Adds Tallahassee Softball Stars to 2011-12 Class
Central Florida added to its 2011-12 softball recruiting class on Wednesday with the addition of Tallahassee Chiles standouts Sarah Hayes and Haley Holmes. Click here to see coverage of the signing ceremony from Tallahassee's WCTV.
CF Alum Breanna Fort Helps Clayton Knock Off No. 1
Former Lady Patriot All-American Breanna Fort scored 10 points Thursday as No. 2 Clayton State beat No. 1 Lander 83-81 in a battle of NCAA Division II's only remaining undefeated teams. The Lakers, the nation's likely new No. 1, have just 5 regular-season games left before beginning their quest for an NCAA title.
Wednesday, February 09, 2011
CF Patriots 80, Santa Fe 76 (MBB)
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| Pace |
Click here to watch the game at Panhandle Broadcasting.
Gainesville native Brian Pace lit up his hometown with a dominant scoring effort off the Patriot bench. The freshman guard scored 21 points, making 7 of 9 shots from the field and 3 of 4 three-point attempts. Slobodan Miljanic joined Pace in double figures with 11 points.
The victory solidifies CF's position atop the Mid-Florida Conference, where the Patriots (21-6, 7-2) enjoy a one-and-a-half game cushion with three games left on its schedule despite two losses in its previous three games. The first-place finisher earns a trip directly to the state tournament, while the remaining teams will be left to navigate a single-elimination playoff to decide the MFC's other postseason representative.
CF hosts defending conference champion Daytona State on Saturday at 8 p.m.
CF Lady Patriots 63, Santa Fe 62 (WBB)
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| Twine |
Click here to watch the game at Panhandle Broadcasting.
The victory represents CF's second dramatic win on the home court of its biggest Mid-Florida Conference rival. The Lady Patriots erased a double-digit lead in the second half of the teams' MFC opener on January 5 en route to an 84-78 victory.
Wednesday's game was close throughout, as CF held a three-point halftime lead and the teams traded baskets for much of the second half before Twine delivered the knockout. Moniqua Darby collected a loose ball, found her sharpshooting teammate open on the opposite wing and delivered the assist that put the Lady Patriots up for good.
Twine led the Lady Patriots with 18 points, while point guard Janay Borum added 12 points, 5 steals, and 4 assists.
The win reenergizes CF's stagnating conference prospects. The Lady Patriots (15-12, 5-4 MFC) move back above .500 in the MFC standings and stay ahead of Hillsborough, which upset Daytona State on Wednesday to improve to 4-6 in conference. CF hosts Daytona on Saturday at 6 p.m.
CF Patriots 7, Polk State 4 (Baseball)
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| Cronin |
CF (3-6-1) shook off the frustrating six-game road swing that ended Monday with a near-comeback at Polk behind a dominant pitching effort from Clint Cronin. The freshman righthander, a former high school quarterback who joined the Patriots at the holiday break, struck out 14 Vikings over 7 innings.
Despite his efforts, Cronin didn't figure in the decision - the offensive charge came immediately upon his exit. Yoenny Gonzalez smashed a go-ahead 2-run home run in the bottom of the seventh to put the Patriots up 5-4 and bring his RBI total for the game to 4. Casey Smit and Josh Whitchurch added RBI singles and Scott Schaub had 2 hits for CF.
Reliable reliever Kyle Leja finished the job on the mound, hurling a scoreless eighth and ninth to earn the win.
CF will look to continue its home-field success this weekend, hosting South Florida at 3 p.m. Friday and Gulf Coast in a noon doubleheader Saturday.
CF Hoops Visits Santa Fe for MFC Doubleheader
The final one-third of the Mid-Florida Conference basketball season begins tonight as Central Florida visits rival Santa Fe with postseason positioning at stake. Visit Panhandle Broadcasting to watch both games live online, starting with the women's game at 6 p.m. The men's team (20-6, 6-2 MFC) sits atop the conference entering tonight's play, but their footing has become precarious over the last two weeks. After opening MFC play with six straight wins, road losses to Daytona and FSC-Jacksonville have left the Patriots at risk of losing their grip on the conference title - and the automatic state tournament berth that accompanies it - and falling into the dangerous single-elimination tournament that will decide the conference's other postseason representative.
MFC - Men's Standings
Central Florida 6-2
St. Johns River State 5-4
Daytona State 5-4
Santa Fe 4-5
FSC-Jacksonville 2-7
(top team qualifies for state playoffs;
(top team qualifies for state playoffs;
others play single-elimination tournament)
To avoid that, CF will need to complete a three-game sweep of the rival Saints (17-10, 4-5 MFC), whom the Patriots have beaten by 4 points in each of this season's previous meetings.
The Lady Patriots (14-12, 4-4 MFC) are in need of a win after losing three of their last four MFC games, including a 67-62 home loss to the Lady Saints (15-11, 7-2 MFC). While still in sole possession of the third and final state tournament berth, CF is still a few wins and Hillsborough losses away from clinching.
MFC - Women's Standings
Santa Fe 7-2
Daytona State 7-2
Central Florida 4-4
Hillsborough 3-6
FSC-Jacksonville 1-8
(top three teams qualify for state playoffs)
Santa Fe is tied with Daytona for the conference lead entering tonight's game, so CF will encounter a motivated home team tonight. To escape with a win, the Lady Patriots will have to recapture the magic they employed at the start of conference play, when they staged a huge second-half comeback and left Gainesville with a shocking 84-78 victory.
Tuesday, February 08, 2011
South Florida 9, CF Patriots 8; South Florida 11, CF 1 (Softball)
The Central Florida softball team took South Florida into extra innings Tuesday before falling short 9-8. The host Panthers also took the second game 11-1.
Pitcher Jessica Knight led the way offensively for the Patriots in the 8-inning opener, going 2-for-3 with a double, a home run, and 5 RBIs. Samantha Sibley and Amanda Roach produced the Patriots' lone run in the second game, as Sibley hit a leadoff triple in the sixth and Roach brought her home with an RBI double.
The trip to Avon Park concludes a lengthy road swing for the Patriots (2-10). They host Polk on Saturday at 1 p.m.
Pitcher Jessica Knight led the way offensively for the Patriots in the 8-inning opener, going 2-for-3 with a double, a home run, and 5 RBIs. Samantha Sibley and Amanda Roach produced the Patriots' lone run in the second game, as Sibley hit a leadoff triple in the sixth and Roach brought her home with an RBI double.
The trip to Avon Park concludes a lengthy road swing for the Patriots (2-10). They host Polk on Saturday at 1 p.m.
Monday, February 07, 2011
Polk State 8, CF Patriots 6 (Baseball)
The Central Florida baseball team staged an impressive comeback Monday but couldn't convert it to a win as host Polk State took an 8-6 decision.
CF trailed 6-0 after 7 innings, but used an offensive surge and a strong relief pitching effort from Kyle Moeder to tighten the game. Christian Coburn had a triple and 2 RBIs and Josh Whitchurch had 2 hits and a run scored to pace the offense; Moeder threw 5 2/3 scoreless innings while striking out 3.
CF (3-6-1) has the opportunity for immediate redemption as the Vikings visit Goodlett Field on Wednesday at 3 p.m.
CF trailed 6-0 after 7 innings, but used an offensive surge and a strong relief pitching effort from Kyle Moeder to tighten the game. Christian Coburn had a triple and 2 RBIs and Josh Whitchurch had 2 hits and a run scored to pace the offense; Moeder threw 5 2/3 scoreless innings while striking out 3.
CF (3-6-1) has the opportunity for immediate redemption as the Vikings visit Goodlett Field on Wednesday at 3 p.m.
CF's Scott Schaub Featured in Family Times Magazine
Family Times Magazine continues to feature profiles of Patriot student-athletes from Marion County high schools in its February-March edition. This issue's subject is freshman third baseman and Vanguard High School graduate Scott Schaub. Pick up a free copy at a variety of locations around Marion County, or check out the online version here.
Sunday, February 06, 2011
Indian River 10, CF Patriots 2; Indian River 9, CF 1 (Softball)
Central Florida was swept in a softball doubleheader at Indian River on Sunday, 10-2 and 9-1.
Samantha Sibley went 2-for-2 in the opener to provide an offensive spark for CF (2-8).
Samantha Sibley went 2-for-2 in the opener to provide an offensive spark for CF (2-8).
Saturday, February 05, 2011
Brevard 10, CF Patriots 2; Brevard 7, CF 3 (Baseball)
The Central Florida baseball team took a pair of losses on the road Saturday, falling at Brevard by scores of 10-2 and 7-3.
Christian Coburn went 2-for-4 with a double and an RBI in the opener, while Yoenny Gonzalez had a hit and 2 RBIs in the late game for the Patriots (2-5-1).
Christian Coburn went 2-for-4 with a double and an RBI in the opener, while Yoenny Gonzalez had a hit and 2 RBIs in the late game for the Patriots (2-5-1).
Palm Beach 2, CF Patriots 0; Palm Beach 4, CF 0 (Softball)
Central Florida suffered a softball sweep at Palm Beach on Saturday, losing 2-0 and 4-0.
Utility player Arika Fox provided a strong start in the second game for the Patriots, yielding 5 hits and 2 earned runs over 6 innings.
Utility player Arika Fox provided a strong start in the second game for the Patriots, yielding 5 hits and 2 earned runs over 6 innings.
Friday, February 04, 2011
CF Patriots 12, Miami-Dade 11 (Baseball)
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| Goodson |
CF's six games thus far in the spring 2011 season have been decided by a total of 6 runs.
Bradley Goodson and Josh Whitchurch paced a dynamic CF offense. Goodson went 3-for-5 with 2 runs scored, while Whitchurch added 2 hits, 3 stolen bases and a run. Scott Schaub drove in 3 Patriot runs, including an RBI groundout in the eighth to cap CF's rally from 4 runs down through 7 innings.
Cody Lewis picked up the victory in relief, while Kyle Leja earned his second save of the season.
CF (2-3-1) has a quick turnaround as it visits Brevard on Saturday for a noon doubleheader.
Thursday, February 03, 2011
CF Patriots 4, Hillsborough 0; Hillsborough 2, CF 1 (Softball)
Central Florida narrowly missed a doubleheader sweep on the road Thursday, falling to host Hillsborough 2-1 in 9 innings after winning the opener 4-0.
Sophomore Jessica Knight was the Patriot headliner on the mound and at the plate. She won the early game with an 8-strikeout, 4-hit effort over 6 innings and aided her own cause with a 2-run single, then yielded just 3 hits and an earned run in a complete game performance in the nightcap. Jandrew Collins and Megan David added a hit and a run scored to the victory, while Miranda Anderson went 2-for-4 and drove in CF's run in the late game.
CF (2-4) continues its early-season road trip Saturday at Palm Beach.
Sophomore Jessica Knight was the Patriot headliner on the mound and at the plate. She won the early game with an 8-strikeout, 4-hit effort over 6 innings and aided her own cause with a 2-run single, then yielded just 3 hits and an earned run in a complete game performance in the nightcap. Jandrew Collins and Megan David added a hit and a run scored to the victory, while Miranda Anderson went 2-for-4 and drove in CF's run in the late game.
CF (2-4) continues its early-season road trip Saturday at Palm Beach.
Wednesday, February 02, 2011
FSC-Jacksonville 69, CF Patriots 60 (MBB)
First-place Central Florida took a hit in the Mid-Florida Conference men's basketball standings Wednesday with a 69-60 loss at FSC-Jacksonville.
CF (20-6, 6-2 MFC) remains atop the MFC despite the loss. The Patriots are off Saturday, then visit Santa Fe on Wednesday, Feb. 9.
CF (20-6, 6-2 MFC) remains atop the MFC despite the loss. The Patriots are off Saturday, then visit Santa Fe on Wednesday, Feb. 9.
FSC-Jacksonville 67, CF Lady Patriots 53 (WBB)
The Central Florida women's basketball team took a tough Mid-Florida Conference setback on the road Wednesday in a 67-53 loss at FSC-Jacksonville.
The loss doesn't help CF's postseason hopes, as it drops the Lady Patriots (14-12, 4-4 MFC) to .500 in conference. But fourth-place Hillsborough cooperated Wednesday with a 75-60 loss to Santa Fe, leaving CF two games ahead of the 2-6 Lady Hawks for third place and the conference's final state tournament berth.
The loss doesn't help CF's postseason hopes, as it drops the Lady Patriots (14-12, 4-4 MFC) to .500 in conference. But fourth-place Hillsborough cooperated Wednesday with a 75-60 loss to Santa Fe, leaving CF two games ahead of the 2-6 Lady Hawks for third place and the conference's final state tournament berth.
St. Petersburg 6, CF Patriots 5 (Baseball)
Central Florida lost another tightly-contested baseball game Wednesday, falling to host St. Petersburg 6-5. CF (1-3-1) has now suffered all three of its losses by a single run, in addition to playing Hillsborough to a tie.
The Patriots couldn't capitalize on a strong start by newcomer Clint Cronin, a former high school quarterback who joined the Patriots at the winter break. The righthander threw 6 strong innings, striking out 9 Titan batters. Josh Whitchurch led the CF offense with a 3-for-4 effort and an RBI, while Danny Alimonti went 2-for-4 with a double and an RBI.
CF's first 2011 road trip continues Friday at Miami-Dade; the Patriots return to Goodlett Field on Feb. 9 at 3 p.m. against Polk.
The Patriots couldn't capitalize on a strong start by newcomer Clint Cronin, a former high school quarterback who joined the Patriots at the winter break. The righthander threw 6 strong innings, striking out 9 Titan batters. Josh Whitchurch led the CF offense with a 3-for-4 effort and an RBI, while Danny Alimonti went 2-for-4 with a double and an RBI.
CF's first 2011 road trip continues Friday at Miami-Dade; the Patriots return to Goodlett Field on Feb. 9 at 3 p.m. against Polk.
CF Signs First Volleyball Student-Athletes
Head coach Flavia Siqueira has begun to assemble the student-athletes that will comprise the College of Central Florida's inaugural women's volleyball team.
The first seven scholarship volleyball players in Patriot history are outside hitter Brittany Toney, a high school standout at Rockledge High School in Brevard County; a trio of accomplished amateur players in outside hitter Vanessa Benke, defensive specialist Nino Mukasashvilli, and middle hitter Carolline Reis; and three transfers from Siqueira's former program, Wyoming's Northwest College, in defensive specialist Phoibe Fetu, outside hitter Sandrina Hunsel, and middle hitter Gianesi Tarafa.
Siqueira believes she has the makings of a team that will be an immediate presence on the FCCAA and NJCAA volleyball scenes.
"The players we've been able to sign are ready to contribute to a winning program," said Siqueira. "I expect the Patriots to be a competitive team from the beginning."
The above signees will make up about half of Siqueira's first class, as she plans to field a roster numbering between 12 and 14 players. Those available spots will be in play when CF conducts its open volleyball tryout in Ocala: the tryout is scheduled for Friday, Feb. 4, at 6 p.m. at the facilities of Ocala Power Volleyball, 1501 S.W. 44th Ave.
The CF District Board of Trustees voted in June to add volleyball to the program's intercollegiate athletics offerings, joining men's and women's basketball, baseball and softball. The Patriots join 16 other Florida school in the FCCAA, and will compete in the Mid-Florida Conference against Lake-Sumter, St. Johns River, and FSC-Jacksonville. The team will play its first regular-season match in August.
The first seven scholarship volleyball players in Patriot history are outside hitter Brittany Toney, a high school standout at Rockledge High School in Brevard County; a trio of accomplished amateur players in outside hitter Vanessa Benke, defensive specialist Nino Mukasashvilli, and middle hitter Carolline Reis; and three transfers from Siqueira's former program, Wyoming's Northwest College, in defensive specialist Phoibe Fetu, outside hitter Sandrina Hunsel, and middle hitter Gianesi Tarafa.
Siqueira believes she has the makings of a team that will be an immediate presence on the FCCAA and NJCAA volleyball scenes.
"The players we've been able to sign are ready to contribute to a winning program," said Siqueira. "I expect the Patriots to be a competitive team from the beginning."
The above signees will make up about half of Siqueira's first class, as she plans to field a roster numbering between 12 and 14 players. Those available spots will be in play when CF conducts its open volleyball tryout in Ocala: the tryout is scheduled for Friday, Feb. 4, at 6 p.m. at the facilities of Ocala Power Volleyball, 1501 S.W. 44th Ave.
The CF District Board of Trustees voted in June to add volleyball to the program's intercollegiate athletics offerings, joining men's and women's basketball, baseball and softball. The Patriots join 16 other Florida school in the FCCAA, and will compete in the Mid-Florida Conference against Lake-Sumter, St. Johns River, and FSC-Jacksonville. The team will play its first regular-season match in August.
Tuesday, February 01, 2011
SCF-Sarasota 10, CF Patriots 0; SCF 5, CF 4 (Softball)
Central Florida gave the state's fifth-ranked team all it could handle Tuesday, losing a narrow 5-4 loss to host SCF-Sarasota in an evening doubleheader. The home team won the opener 10-0.
CF (1-3) went ahead 2-0 on a Samantha Sibley 2-run double, and tied the score at 4 in the top of the 7th and final inning behind RBI hits from Samantha Stewart and Jandrew Collins. Sarasota plated a run in the bottom of the inning for the walk-off victory.
Sophomore Jessica Knight threw a complete game for the Patriots, yielding 7 hits and an earned run while striking out two in the late game. Catcher Jessica Lopez added 3 hits to a solid CF offense.
The Patriots' road trip continues Thursday at Hillsborough.
CF (1-3) went ahead 2-0 on a Samantha Sibley 2-run double, and tied the score at 4 in the top of the 7th and final inning behind RBI hits from Samantha Stewart and Jandrew Collins. Sarasota plated a run in the bottom of the inning for the walk-off victory.
Sophomore Jessica Knight threw a complete game for the Patriots, yielding 7 hits and an earned run while striking out two in the late game. Catcher Jessica Lopez added 3 hits to a solid CF offense.
The Patriots' road trip continues Thursday at Hillsborough.
CF Alum Justin Cecil Scores Career-High 23 Points
Former Central Florida sharpshooter Justin Cecil produced his best NCAA game to date on Monday, scoring a career-high 23 points and adding 7 rebounds in Mercer's 82-75 loss to East Tennessee State.
The performance, which included a 5-for-8 shooting effort from three-point range, was a breakout game as the junior works to find his niche with the Bears.
“I’m so happy for (Cecil) that he made those plays and hit those shots,” MU head coach Bob Hoffman said. “When you have a lot of guys it’s hard to get those minutes. We started him early and things didn’t go well, but he stayed the course and got through all that.”
The performance, which included a 5-for-8 shooting effort from three-point range, was a breakout game as the junior works to find his niche with the Bears.
“I’m so happy for (Cecil) that he made those plays and hit those shots,” MU head coach Bob Hoffman said. “When you have a lot of guys it’s hard to get those minutes. We started him early and things didn’t go well, but he stayed the course and got through all that.”
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