Raiders Too Much for Bucs in 12-4 Win
LAKELAND, Fla. – Northwest Florida State scored in eight of nine innings in a 12-4 rout of 11th-ranked Florida SouthWestern on Thursday at Joker Marchant Stadium in the Region VIII Tournament.
The Raiders (31-15) totaled 15 hits – the second-most by the team on the season – and drew 11 walks to put constant pressure on the tournament's top-seeded team.
Trace Willhoite went 3-for-4 at the plate with a home run, two doubles, three RBI, and two runs scored. Austin Kelly collected two hits and two RBI, while Austin Turner and Nasir Frederick each finished 2-for-3 with an RBI and a pair of runs scored. Reagan Burford pitched in with three hits of his own.
Northwest Florida put a runner on base on every inning and posted five extra base hits.
Caleb Reis was nothing short of phenomenal on the mound. The reigning Region VIII and NJCAA Pitcher of the Week struck out nine batters in 8.1 innings of work. The right-hander surrendered four runs – all in the first inning – on six hits.
Northwest Florida took a 3-0 lead in the first on a Kelly RBI double followed by a two-run home run by Willhoite.
Florida SouthWestern, however, came roaring back to score four runs in the bottom half of the frame, but that was the only offense the Buccaneers would muster as Reis controlled the remainder of the contest.
Reis allowed just two hits, a walk, and a hit batsman over the next 7.1 innings. In fact, he struck out four of the last nine batters he faced.
Walks and errors hurt Florida SouthWestern all night as the Bucs committed four miscues and issued 11 free passes. The Raiders scored twice in the second and fifth innings and added single runs in the third, sixth, seventh, eighth, and ninth.
Northwest Florida will play the winner of the Miami Dade/Pensacola game on Friday at 6 p.m. (CT). All games will be carried live the FCSAA Digital Network.
For more information on Northwest Florida State Athletics, visit NWFRaiders.com or follow the team on Twitter at @NWFRaiders.
