The College of Central Florida Softball Team went down to Clearwater, FL to open up their season and play in the JUCO Kickoff Classic. The Patriots split a pair of games on both Friday and Saturday. They won their first game of the season 4-1 over Parkland overcoming a 1-0 deficit by scoring 2 runs in both the 3rd and 4th innings. Emma Rogel doubled to score two in the 3rd and singled in another run in the 4th. Haley Guffey pitched 5 innings, scattering 6 hits while allowing only one run and striking out two for her first win of the year.

In game two vs Gulf Coast State the Patriots were unable to hold onto their early 3-0 lead and lost 6-4. Megan Loftis went a perfect 3 for 3 at the plate. Carly Allen took the loss in the circle. She pitched two innings, allowing 4 unearned runs after a Patriot error in the 5th.

On Saturday the Patriots had matchup with #2 state ranked Northwest Florida State. Again the Patriots scored early to take the lead with 2 runs in each of the first two innings. In the 1st Leah Clark doubled to score Megan Loftis and then later in the inning Clark would steal home. In the 2nd Riley grounded out to score Madi Wicihowski and Loftis singled home Blakenship to go up 4-1. Northwest would later score 6 in the 5th inning and the Patriots could not overcome the lead eventually losing 11-5.

In Saturday's game two vs USC Union, the Lady Pats offense exploded for 18 runs on 18 hits. Mackenzie Fritz (2-2, RBI, SB), Zoe Riley (2-2, 2B, RBI), Emma Rogel (2-4, 3B, RBI), Megan Loftis (2-3, HR, SB) and Caitlin Blankenship (2-2, 2B) all had multiple hits in the game. Loftis and Hayley Turner each hit their first home runs of the year. Emma Wyman pitched 3 innings for her first win of the season. She struck out 2 and allowed only 1 run on four hits. Zoey Mills finished the game striking out 4 in her two innings of work and did not allow a hit.

The Patriots (2-2) will next play on the road again at Florida State College at Jacksonville on Thursday. They play a double header starting at 2 PM.