OCAKA- The College of Central Florida softball team took a big step towards its first-ever sweep of rival Santa Fe on Tuesday night.

The Patriots (31-4, 2-1) scored four runs in the top of the eighth inning to win the opener 5-1 over the Saints and then held a 4-2 lead in the second game when it was suspended due to darkness prior to the start of the seventh inning.

CF, which had never won in Gainesville during the tenure of SFC coach Chris Ahern, took advantage of eight walks in the opener and broke free with the big effort in the eighth inning.

Holly McKinnon went all eight innings and earned the win in the circle for the Patriots in the opener.

Rebecca Enter knocked in three runs for the nation's No. 1 team, while Cheyenne Blaha drove in two.

Deeandreaya Davis scored two runs for CF and Autumn Hanners doubled in the opener.

CF sent the Saints (13-13, 1-4) to their fourth straight defeat after a conference-opening win.

The win was the third in row for the Patriots, who bounced back from a split in their conference opener against FSC-J.

No. 1 CF will host another nationally-ranked team, Seminole State, on Thursday afternoon at 2:30.

The Patriots have won two straight over the Saints and three of the last four after winning two of the previous 37 meetings.