Raiders Split Doubleheader with Chipola, Salvage Finale

NICEVILLE, Fla. — Northwest Florida baseball avoided a four-game sweep on Saturday, bouncing back to take the second game of a doubleheader against No. 5 Chipola, 5–0, after dropping the opener 18–3.

Game One: Chipola 18, Northwest Florida 3
Chipola broke things open early and never looked back, putting up a big second inning to take control. Capitalizing on an error, timely hits, and patient at-bats, the Indians built a commanding lead and extended it to 9–0 by the third.

The fourth inning put the game out of reach, as Chipola plated seven more runs on a mix of hits, walks, and a hit-by-pitch.

Eli Jones got the start for the Raiders, allowing six runs (one earned) over an inning of work. Offensively, Kayden Linares drove in two runs, while Nathan Nance collected a pair of hits, but Northwest Florida couldn't keep pace with Chipola's 10-hit effort.

Game Two: Northwest Florida 5, Chipola 0
The Raiders flipped the script in the finale, riding a dominant pitching performance and timely hitting to secure the shutout.

Anthony Quigley got Northwest Florida on the board early with an RBI double in the first. The Raiders added to the lead in the second, as Angel Santiago drew a bases-loaded walk and Orlando Fernandez followed with a sacrifice fly.

Northwest Florida tacked on two more in the fourth, taking advantage of a Chipola throwing error before Fernandez delivered an RBI single to make it 5–0.

On the mound, Bradley Garrett was in complete control. The left-hander tossed seven shutout innings, scattering six hits while striking out three and issuing no walks.

Fernandez led the offense with two RBIs, while Brock Clayton provided a spark from the bottom of the lineup with two hits. The Raiders were also sharp defensively, playing error-free baseball to secure the win.

With the split, Northwest Florida closes the series on a positive note and avoids the sweep.