The National Champion College of Central Florida Patriot Baseball team was recognized by the college on Monday after winning the school's first baseball national championship on Saturday with a 13-6 win over Wabash Valley in the World Series in Grand Junction, Colorado. CF President Dr. James Henningsen, Vice President of Student Affairs Dr Saul Reyes, and Ocala Mayor Kent Guinn were present to honor the Patriots along with many other faculty and community members. Mayor Kent Guinn awarded the team with keys to the City of Ocala in honor of this great achievement. Hall of Fame coach Marty Smith, in his 29th season as the head coach of the Patriots, gave a recap of the tournament and recognized the sophomores and where they will be continuing their careers after CF. Marty has led the CF Patriots to the World Series four times. They went back to back years in 1997 & 1998 and now again they went back to back in 2022 & 2023. Up until this year, the Patriots had a 2-6 record in the World Series. However, this year the #1 ranked Patriots went 5-1 to win it all.

This 2023 Patriot team will go down as one of the best in school history bringing CF its first baseball National Championship. The three returning sophomores from last season John Marant, Carson Bayne, and James Hill have a lot to be proud of and will be remembered for leadership in guiding the Pats to back to back state titles and a National Championship.