The Patriots opened up the 2026 season with a doubleheader at the Lake Myrtle Sports Complex in Auburndale. In game one the Pats faced the South Florida State College Panthers and pulled out a dramatic 5-4 walk-off win. Jake Meadows started for CF and went 5.1 innings, allowing only four hits, two earned runs, no walks and five strikeouts.  The Pats found themselves down 3-1 after the top of the sixth but quickly tied the game in the bottom of the inning on an error and an RBI single by Victor Martinez. Sloppy defense gave the Panthers a 4-3 lead in the top of the ninth inning, but once again the Pats answered back due to some sloppy Panthers defense which enabled the Pats to walk off the Panthers on a Martinez misplayed groundball. Richard Bello earned the win tossing 2.1 innings, giving up no hits, one unearned run with three strikeouts. Kaiden Lopez had an impressive CF debut with an inning pitched striking out two. Tanner Swank led the team with two hits.

 

In the second game of the day, the Pats got a taste of their own medicine when the Hillsborough College Hawks walked off the Pats 11-10. The Pats collected fourteen hits in the game, but it wasn't enough to fend off the scrappy Hawks. The back-and-forth game had four lead changes with CF erasing a 6-1 deficit in the fifth inning, scoring six runs on six hits. The biggest hit of the inning was a three-run home run by cather Nick Adrian. The Hawks tied the game at 8-8 in the bottom of the fifth on a wild pitch, only to see CF jump ahead again 10-8 in the sixth on a wild pitch and a double by Swank. The Panthers, Luke Jackson took a two-out two strike pitch over the left field wall to once again tie the game at 10 in the bottom of sixth. South Florida State ended the wild game with an RBI single in the bottom of the seventh for the 11-10 win. Martinez collected two hits including a double, Swank had three RBI and two doubles, and Adrian had three RBI. Caden Carroll threw 3.0 innings allowing only one hit, no runs, with seven strikeouts.

 

The third game of the weekend was played in Ocala at Goodlett Field when the Chipola College Indians, a perennial national JUCO powerhouse, defeated the Patriots 9-5. The Indians could never muster a big inning, but did score in six of the nine innings during the game. Jay Jung started on the hill for the Pats and went 4.0 innings, allowing four hits, three runs with a strikeout. Lance Hartley relieved for an inning allowing a hit and striking out one. Amaury De Jesus led CF with two hits and an RBI. Brett House had a two-run double. Ignacio Salaverria got his first hit and RBI of the season. The Patriots fell to 1-2 and the Indians improved to 3-0.

 

The Pats are on the road Tuesday when they travel to Pasco-Herenando State College for an afternoon game. On Friday, CF will travel to Avon Park to take on the South Florida State College Panthers. Game time is 1:00 PM.