OCALA, FL (352today.com) — The College of Central Florida (CF) Patriots (34-16) were just three outs away from clinching a weekend series victory over Indian River State College (34-14) before a late rally by the Pioneers turned the tide. The ninth-inning comeback sealed the win for Indian River during the final weekend of conference play.
Now, the Patriots will look to regroup as they head to Fort Pierce this weekend for the FCSAA regional playoffs. CF enters the tournament as the No. 6 seed and will face off once again against the No. 3 seeded Pioneers. The teams will battle in a best-of-three series, with the winner advancing to the FCSAA State Final Four, scheduled for May 9-12 in Port Charlotte.
The Patriots are no strangers to postseason success. In 2023, they captured their second consecutive state title before going on to dominate the JUCO World Series in Grand Junction, Colorado, earning the program’s second national championship. Indian River State College is also a recent contender, having reached the state final four last season but falling short of a trip to the World Series.
First pitch for this weekend’s playoff series is set for Friday, with all games hosted at Indian River’s home field.
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WORK WEEK WEATHER: Warm, Mostly Sunny with Late-Week Rain Chances for Ocala
Ocala will see highs in the upper 80s and mostly sunny skies through midweek, according to the National Weather Service. Showers and thunderstorms are expected to increase Thursday and Friday.