GAINESVILLE, FL — Behind a balanced 15-hit attack and a dominant bullpen performance, the College of Central Florida Patriots defeated Santa Fe College 8-4 on Thursday afternoon. The victory not only extends the Patriots' winning streak but also moves them into a tie for first place in the Citrus Conference standings with a 7-3 record.

The Patriots (13-11, 7-3) traded blows with the Saints through the first six innings in a back-and-forth contest. Central Florida opened the scoring in the second inning when Jose Correa drove in a run with a sacrifice fly, but Santa Fe quickly responded to take a 2-1 lead by the end of the third.

The turning point came in the top of the sixth. With the game tied 2-2, Balint Piros delivered a clutch two-run single to left field, scoring Cal Johnson and Bruno Schafer to give CF a 4-3 lead. Though Santa Fe managed to pull back within one in the bottom of the sixth, the Patriots' bullpen slammed the door.

Richard Bello (4-1) earned the win in relief, striking out four batters over two scoreless innings. Jose Paniagua closed out the ninth, striking out two to seal the victory.

Offensively, the Patriots were led by Tanner Swank, who finished 3-for-5 with two doubles. Balint Piros provided the big blast with 3 RBIs on the day, while Victor Martinez, Gio Mendoza, and Brett House each contributed RBI hits to pull away late. Cal Johnson was a constant threat on the basepaths, reaching safely five times with two hits and three walks.

Conference Outlook With the victory, Central Florida improves to 7-3 in the Citrus Conference, officially moving into a tie for the top spot in the league. The Patriots have now won five in a ro, finding their stride at the perfect time in the mid-season.

The Patriots will look to maintain their share of first place as the series with Santa Fe College concludes this weekend with a double header in Ocala on Saturday starting at 12 pm.