GAINESVILLE, Fla. – In a game full of twists and turns, Ariana Wright drove in the first run (a solo homer) and the final run (a walk off double) for Santa Fe College Softball in a 6-5, nine-inning win over No. 6 College of Central Florida.

With the Saints trying to make up ground in the Mid-Florida Conference standings, it was the second-consecutive win over a team within the NJCAA Top-10, after also beating No. 10 Seminole State College 6-3 on Apr. 1.

SF 6, NO. 6 CF 5 (9 INN.)

A GAME-CHANGING PLAY

There were several to choose from in this one...CF came all the way back from a 4-0 deficit to tie the game.

Jayelyn Carter drove in the go-ahead run in the sixth inning on a ground ball up the middle, and the teams headed to the seventh.

The Patriots came through with a two-out RBI double to tie the game, and the Patriots set the Saints down in order in the bottom half of the seventh to force extra-innings.

Sydney Fowler and her pitching counterpart from the College of Central Florida were perfect in the eighth, and Fowler set the stage for the bats in the bottom of the ninth with another 1-2-3 inning from the circle.

After Riley Schnyder had a one-out walk, Wright was mobbed by her teammates when she took a 1-2 pitch to the wall in right center field for a game-ending double…There was a play at the plate to try and get Schnyder who came all the way from first base, but the left fielder was quick around the bases and slid in safely before the tag. Nevada Cullen was on the call for the Saints Sports Network, and also spoke with Ariana Wright postgame...

Today's hero for Saints Softball, Ariana Wright, after her walkoff handed SF a second-consecutive MFC win over a Top-10 opponent! pic.twitter.com/lY37mDowQz

— Santa Fe Saints (@santafesaints) April 4, 2023

TEAM COMPARISON

Santa Fe finished with ten hits, while CF had nine. The Saints had four extra-base hits, while the Patriots had two.

The Patriots swiped seven bases, but SF did well to strand plenty of runners in scoring position, holding a high-powered offense to just the five runs.

The Saints had two errors, while CF had one.

SF BATTING LEADERS

Ariana Wright – 2-5, HR, 2B, 2 RBI

Jayelyn Carter – Hitting streak extended to 11 games, 2-5, 3 RBI

Sydney Fowler – 3-4, 2 2B, 2 R

Abrianna Hickox / Story Giebeig – Each with one hit, one run, one walk…

SF PITCHING STATS

Kensley Durrance (GS) – No-decision, 6.0 IP, 8 H, 4 R, 3 ER, 3 BB, 1 K

Sophie Abrams – 0.0 IP, BB, 1 ER

Sydney Fowler (W, 2-2) – 3.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 2 K

UP NEXT

Santa Fe (27-17, 4-6 MFC) will try to take the series with the No. 6 Patriots (38-10, 8-2 MFC) on Thursday in Ocala, Fla. Game 1 of the doubleheader will start at 2:00 p.m.