OCALA, FL (352today.com) – The College of Central Florida Patriots (9-11, 4-3) trailed for seven and a half innings before rallying in the bottom of the eighth inning to pull out a 7-6 win over the Daytona State Falcons (10-10, 5-2) in the opening game of their three-game Citrus Conference series on Thursday, Feb. 26, 2026.
Daytona State took advantage of the wind blowing out to centerfield by connecting on three home runs. Miguel Gonzalez (solo HR), Chase Wilson (solo HR), and Josh Vinciguerra (2R HR) led the Falcons offense.
The Pats used the long ball, too, when Victor Martinez hit his fifth home run of the season in the fifth inning. The Falcons twice built three-run leads only to lose the lead in the bottom of the eighth inning.
Trailing 6-5, Martinez led off with a single. After an out, Brett House walked to set the stage for Balint Piros’s game-tying single to right field. Juan Concepcion would then drive a two-strike pitch to deep right field to drive home House for the winning run on the sacrifice fly. Richard Bello pitched the eighth inning to earn the win and improve to 3-1. Jose Paniagua, the Pats’ closer, earned his second save of the season pitching the ninth inning allowing no hits and striking out one.
The series will move to Daytona State College on Saturday for the final two games. Games are scheduled for 1 p.m. and 4 p.m., weather permitting.