GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. (June 3, 2023) - The College of Central Florida won its first-ever NJCAA Division I Baseball World Series on Saturday, throttling Wabash Valley (Ill.) College, 13-6, in front of 11,969 fans at Sam Suplizio Field, as well as a national audience watching on ESPN+.

The win also gave veteran head coach Marty Smith, who was making his fourth trip to Grand Junction, his first national championship. 

The game wasn't as close as the final score indicated. 

Before fans had settled into their seats - or placed their meal order at CF's watch party back home at Gator's Dockside in Ocala - the Patriots had put nine runs on the board. Home runs by Kainen Jorge (two-run homer) and Cole Bullen (three-run homer) resulted in a 7-0 lead. Two more runs crossed home plate before Patriots starter J.D. Smith threw a pitch. 

Central Florida tacked on three more runs in the second for a 12-0 lead but the absence of the "run rule" in the National Championship game assured Wabash Valley they would get 27 outs. Just two nights earlier, in a scene reminiscent of Game 6 of the 1986 World Series, the Patriots were on the brink of elimination, down to their final out, trailing by two runs and no one on base. They rallied to tie the game and won in extra innings, 19-12, then survived a second elimination game on Friday, scoring in their final at-bat to beat Weatherford (Texas) College, 14-13. 

No such drama was needed on Saturday. 

Playing their sixth game in eight days, the Patriots used Smith as their "opener" for the championship game. He allowed only two hits and two runs through three innings before handing the ball to Andrew Herrmann, who earned the win with five innings of work. 

Central Florida led 13-3 before Wabash Valley plated three runs in its final at-bat. 

The Patriots' Juan Correa was named the Daily Sentinel Tournament Most Valuable Player after batting .440 (11-for-25) with three home runs and eight RBI in the World Series. 

Brian Holiday was named the Robert Purkey Most Outstanding Pitcher and Smith was honored as the Bus Bergman Coach of the Tournament. 

Correa, Holiday, reliever Cam Schuelke and designated hitter John Marant were named to the All-Tournament Team. 

The Patriots' victory capped a remarkable athletics season for the FCSAA, who claimed ten NJCAA Championships during the 2022-23 academic year.