Raiders Split Home-Opening Doubleheader with Motlow
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | R | H | E | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Motlow State Community College | 0 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 8 | 4 |
|
Northwest Florida State College | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 0 | X | 7 | 6 | 1 |
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | R | H | E | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Motlow State Community College | 0 | 8 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 12 | 11 | 2 |
|
Northwest Florida State College | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 8 | 2 |
NICEVILLE, Fla. — Northwest Florida State baseball opened its 2026 home schedule Friday with a split against Motlow State, rallying for a 7–5 win in game one before falling 12–5 in the nightcap.
Game One: Northwest Florida 7, Motlow 5
Anthony Quigley delivered a signature performance in the opener, blasting two home runs to fuel a come-from-behind victory for the Raiders. Kaden Hart, Orlando Fernandez and Hunter Tarchalski also chipped in offensively, each driving in a run, with Hart adding a solo homer — his third of the week.
Motlow struck early with a three-run home run in the third to take a 4–1 lead, but Northwest Florida responded quickly. Quigley got the Raiders on the board with a solo shot in the second, followed by RBI hits from Fernandez and Tarchalski in the third to trim the deficit.
Hart's solo home run in the fourth pulled the Raiders within one before Quigley struck again in the fifth, launching a two-run homer to right field to give Northwest Florida its first lead of the game at 7–5.
On the mound, Mikhai Grant started for the Raiders and struck out six over three innings. Eli Jones was lights out in relief, tossing three scoreless frames to keep Motlow in check. Anthony St. Vincent closed the door in the seventh, retiring the side with two strikeouts to earn his second save of the season.
Game Two: Motlow 12, Northwest Florida 5
The second game turned into an offensive battle early, but a decisive eight-run second inning by Motlow proved too much for the Raiders to overcome.
Northwest Florida jumped out in front in the first, with Angel Santiago tripling home a run before scoring on a Matthew Scott double to give the Raiders a 2–0 lead. Motlow responded immediately, scoring eight runs in the second inning highlighted by multiple extra-base hits and a grand slam to flip the momentum.
The Raiders continued to battle offensively, scoring twice in the third. Santiago crossed the plate again, while Quigley walked and later scored on a steal of home. Sam Bradley added an RBI double in the seventh, but Motlow added insurance runs late to put the game out of reach.
Santiago, Scott and Bradley each drove in runs for Northwest Florida, while Quigley remained a threat on the bases and at the plate throughout the doubleheader.
Up Next
The Raiders continue their homestand Saturday with another doubleheader against Motlow State at 11:00 a.m.