Raider Bats Fuel Late Comeback in 10–9 Win Over Lurleen B. Wallace

NICEVILLE, Fla. — Northwest Florida State baseball showed its resilience Tuesday, erasing a late deficit to defeat Lurleen B. Wallace 10–9 behind a dramatic seventh-inning grand slam from Orlando Fernandez.

The Raiders struck first in the opening inning when Brock Clayton lifted a sacrifice fly to bring home the game's first run. Lurleen B. Wallace answered in the third with a solo home run to center field, evening the score at 1–1.

Northwest Florida regained control in the bottom of the third as Hunter Tarchalski launched a two-run home run to center, pushing the Raiders in front 3–1.

The Saints surged ahead in the sixth, plating six runs on four hits to seize a 7–5 lead. Lurleen B. Wallace added two more runs later in the inning, extending the advantage to 9–5 and putting the Raiders on their heels.

Facing adversity, Northwest Florida responded in the seventh. After drawing a pair of walks and being hit by a pitch, Fernandez delivered the decisive swing of the night, blasting a grand slam over the left-field fence to tie the game and ignite the Raider dugout.

The comeback was completed an inning later when Kaden Linares singled home the go-ahead run, giving Northwest Florida a 10–9 lead in the eighth.

Anthony St. Vincent took the mound in the ninth and shut the door on the Saints, securing his third save of the season.

Bradley Garrett earned the start for the Raiders, allowing one run on four hits across five innings while striking out seven. St. Vincent was dominant in relief, tossing two scoreless innings, striking out five, and allowing no hits.

Northwest Florida finished with 13 hits, led by Fernandez and Clayton, who each recorded three. Tarchalski added two hits, while Linares swiped two bases as the Raiders totaled four stolen bases in the contest.