Today's Sports

Years ago the St. Catharine College Patriots’ baseball team took on the sobriquet of Bat Pats. And while that would conjure up images of offensive prowess, SC head coach Luther Bramblett is counting on strengths in other areas to boost his team in the 2013 campaign that begins Friday (Feb. 1).

“We should be better defensively than last year,” said Bramblett who will take a career record of 394-175 into his 12th season at St. Catharine. “We are stronger on the mound also, and will have better team speed than last season.”

The St. Catharine College men’s basketball team journeyed into Ohio last week and cracked the Buckeye State for two Mid-South Conference victories. The Patriots won at Rio Grande 69-66 Thursday and followed that with an 80-72 victory Saturday at No. 24 Shawnee State in Portsmouth.

The St. Catharine College women traveled to Ohio for two Mid-South Conference games last week and left with a split of the two contests. After taking an 88-77 win Thursday at Rio Grande the Patriots dropped a 75-63 decision Saturday at Shawnee State.

It is what every team works toward – a national ranking. And in the fifth year of participation in the NAIA, and Mid-South Conference, that is exactly what the St. Catharine College women’s basketball team received for the first time last week.

For the Patriots, 25th in Tuesday’s poll, it is well deserved as they won five consecutive contests which included three against teams that were ranked in the top-25. But head coach Lena Bramblett is cautious in her exuberance over the honor.