Lights-Out Pitching, Timely Bats Power Raiders to Opening-Day Sweep

NICEVILLE, Fla. — No. 20 Northwest Florida State baseball opened the 2026 season in impressive fashion Saturday, sweeping a pair of games against Miami Dade and Pasco-Hernando behind dominant pitching and efficient offense at the SCF Legends Classic in Sarasota.

The Raiders' pitching staff set the tone throughout the day, as seven pitchers combined to throw 16.0 innings while allowing just one earned run on 12 hits. Northwest Florida struck out 14 batters and limited traffic on the bases, providing the foundation for a pair of victories.

Offensively, the Raiders scored 10 total runs across the two games, led by Niceville native Hunter Tarchalski, who went a perfect 4-for-4 at the plate in game two and homered. Nathan Nance and Anthony Quigley also delivered at the plate, each recording three hits on the day. Brock Clayton, Orlando Fernandez, and Quigley each drove in two runs to pace the lineup.

Game One: Northwest Florida 5, Miami Dade 0

Northwest Florida broke through in the bottom of the third inning, as a walk by Angel Santiago brought home the game's first run.

Mikhai Grant got the start on the mound for the Raiders and was sharp, allowing just three hits over three scoreless innings while striking out three and walking three. Tucker Delisle and Brady Martin followed in relief and combined to shut the door on Miami Dade, preserving the shutout.

The Raiders added to their lead behind timely hitting, with Brock Clayton providing the spark. Batting seventh, Clayton went 2-for-2 and drove in two runs to lead the offense. Clayton and Nathan Nance each collected two hits, while Northwest Florida turned two double plays defensively to keep Miami Dade off the scoreboard.

Game Two: Northwest Florida 5, Pasco-Hernando 1

The nightcap belonged to Hunter Tarchalski, who delivered one of the best individual performances of the day. Tarchalski finished 4-for-4, doubling in the second inning, launching a solo home run to left field in the fourth, and adding singles in both the sixth and seventh innings.

Pasco-Hernando struck first in the third inning, but the Raiders answered in the fourth when Tarchalski's home run tied the game at 1–1.

Northwest Florida seized control in the seventh inning. Orlando Fernandez homered to left field to give the Raiders the lead, and Anthony Quigley followed with an RBI single to extend the advantage to 5–1.

Presley Woodson started on the mound for the Raiders, allowing one run on one hit over 2.2 innings. Eli Jones was dominant in relief, tossing 3.1 hitless innings while striking out three and issuing no walks to earn the win.

The Raiders finished the game with 11 hits, while Quigley and Fernandez each drove in two runs. Northwest Florida was aggressive on the base paths, swiping five bases, and played clean defense without committing an error. Xavier Rivera led the way defensively with nine chances.

Up Next

Northwest Florida will wrap up its opening weekend Saturday morning with a matchup against State College of Florida at 10:30 a.m.