March 23, 2018

Gainesville, FL – The FCSAA #4/NJCAA #7 Santa Fe Saints and College of Central Florida Patriots played one of the most exciting baseball games of the season on Friday afternoon, culminating in a Brock Edge walk off double to turn a one run deficit into a 12-11 Saints walk off win.

Santa Fe (25-6, 6-2 MFC) had 24 hits on the day as the two teams combined for 37 hits and 23 runs.

CF (19-9-1, 8-3 MFC) grabbed the early lead on a Christian Smallwood homerun and added to their lead an inning later when Blake Marabell hit a two run homer of his own to make it 4-1 Patriots.

SF didn't waste any time, tying the game in the bottom of the second with six straight singles.  It appeared as though the Saints were going to take the lead on a bases loaded sacrifice fly, but the runner was called out for leaving third too early, ending the Santa Fe rally.

Saints starter Mitch Campion held the powerful Patriot bats in check over the next few innings and gave his offense time to strike in the fifth.  Santa Fe plated four in the inning on RBI by Garrett Mathes, Andrew Eyster, Haydn Cano, and Cade Westbrook to make it 8-4.

Central Florida fought their way all the way back in the seventh with six runs, retaking the lead for the second time, 10-8.

Facing a two run hole, the Saints did what the needed to do, manufacturing two runs on a RBI ground out by Parker Beiderer and a sac fly by Mikey Navarrete to even the score at 10-10.

In the ninth CF took advantage of a Santa Fe error, scoring a run on a throw in the dirt to first base on an attempted double play.

Trailing once again, the Saints needed to find some more magic in the bottom of the ninth.  Eyster leadoff with an infield single that bounced off the CF pitcher's leg and two batters later Cano hit a seeing eye single up the middle, just past the diving second baseman.

Brock Edge came to the plate with one out and two one, and on a 0-2 pitch drilled a high fastball into the gap in right center, scoring both runs to walk off a win for the Saints.

Mathes earned the win with 2.2 innings in relief.  Every Saints offensive started had at least two hits, and six players had three hits each.

Santa Fe will look to continue their hot hitting when they travel to the College of Central Florida on Saturday, March 24 for a 1:00 p.m. game.

For complete schedules, stats, and more information please visit www.santafesaints.com.  

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