Offense Explodes in Sarasota as Raiders Roll Past SCF, 19–8
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | R | H | E | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Northwest Florida State College | 0 | 1 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 19 | 22 | 2 |
|
State College of Florida, Manatee-Sarasota | 0 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 8 | 9 | 5 |
SARASOTA, Fla. — No. 20 Northwest Florida State baseball capped off a dominant opening weekend in emphatic fashion Sunday, erupting for 19 runs in a 7-inning, 19–8 victory over State College of Florida.
After opening the season with wins over Miami Dade and Pasco-Hernando, the Raiders' bats stayed hot against the Manatees. Sam Bradley and Orlando Fernandez powered the offense, each driving in four runs and launching a home run. Hunter Tarchalski continued his torrid start at the plate, following up a 4-for-4 performance Saturday with another four-hit outing.
Northwest Florida showed its depth offensively, as nine of the 10 Raiders who recorded an at-bat finished with at least one hit and one RBI.
The Raiders struck first in the second inning when Tristan Bittle doubled to drive in the game's opening run. State College of Florida answered in the bottom half, using a two-run triple and an error to take a brief lead.
Northwest Florida quickly regained control in the third, as Bradley crushed a three-run homer to left and Nathan Nance added a sacrifice fly to put the Raiders back in front. The Manatees tied the game in the bottom of the inning, but the tie wouldn't last long.
In the fourth, Fernandez homered to left, Joe Cable doubled, and an SCF error helped the Raiders reclaim the lead. Northwest Florida then put the game out of reach in the fifth, scoring five runs on six hits, highlighted by a two-run double from Fernandez, RBI hits from Cable and Kayden Linares, and another SCF miscue.
KJ Hart got the start for the Raiders, allowing two hits and three runs (two earned) over two innings while striking out three. Alex Kruse was sharp in relief, tossing 1.2 scoreless innings without allowing a hit and striking out three.
Northwest Florida finished the game with 22 hits. Tarchalski went 4-for-5, while Fernandez and Bradley each drove in four runs. Bittle, Nance, Linares, Brock Clayton, and Cable all recorded multiple hits. The Raiders also added three stolen bases and turned a double play defensively.