Raiders Open 2024 Season On the Road This Weekend
Games 1-3
Legends Classic | January 26-27 | Bradenton, FL & Sarasota FL
Friday: vs. Florida Southwestern | 11:00 AM | Bradenton, FL
Friday: vs. Miami Dade | 6:00 PM | Sarasota, FL
Saturday: vs. State College of Florida | 11:00 AM | Bradenton, FL
Links: Live Stream
NICEVILLE, Florida – The 2024 baseball season is in full swing this weekend as Northwest Florida State baseball prepares to compete in the Legends Classic, hosted by the State College of Florida (SCF). The Raiders have three pivotal matchups lined up against Florida Southwestern, Miami Dade, and the State College of Florida.
FIRST PITCH
The Raiders kick off their 2024 campaign with a pair of matchups on Friday against Florida Southwestern and Miami Dade. The clash between the Raiders and Bucs is set to take place in Bradenton, Fla., on the SCF campus, with the first pitch scheduled for 11:00 AM (CST). Later in the day, the Raiders will face the Sharks in Sarasota, Fla., at the Orioles Spring Training Facility, starting at 6:00 PM (CST). NWF returns to Bradenton the following day for the weekend slate's final game against SCF with first pitch scheduled for 11:00 AM
RANKING THE RAIDERS
In the recently revealed NJCAA Region 8 Preseason Coaches' Polls, NWF secured the prestigious second rank in the FCSAA. The Raiders amassed 140 points, positioning them just behind Central Florida, who secured 180 points with 18 first-place votes. Additionally, Northwest Florida claimed the sixth spot in the first NJCAA rankings, accumulating 120 points.
MAKING HISTORY
The Raiders had an outstanding year in 2023, boasting a 34-19-1 overall record – the best since 2019 – and a 15-9 conference record. They clinched their fifth Panhandle Conference Championship and made their 13th NJCAA Region 8 tournament appearance.
KEY RETURNERS
Seven players return to the Raiders from last year's squad, including Colby Jones, Tyler Lejeune, Cayden Gaskin, Kendrey Maduro, Colin Linder, Will Boylan, and Cade Sadler. Jones, finishing last season second in hits (58) and RBIs (44), third in batting average (.339), and fourth in doubles (9) and home runs (7), leads the returning players. Lejeune and Gaskin, topping the team in stolen bases last season with a combined 30 stolen bags, are valuable assets. Maduro, securing 14 home runs last season (second on the team), returns, and Linder is set to bolster the pitching rotation after notching 73 strikeouts last season, the second highest among team pitchers.
NEW FACES
The 2024 Raiders feature 20 new faces, including several NCAA Division I transfers. Aidan Paradine (Georgia Tech), Bryce Hubbard (Mississippi State), Brock Tapper (Mississippi State), Alex Walsh (Mississippi State), Jackson Evers (Ole Miss), Parker Dillhoff (Wichita State), and Jaquae Stewart (Houston Christian) will add depth to this years Raiders roster.
For complete coverage of Northwest Florida State Athletics, visit nwfraiders.com or follow us on social media: Facebook (Northwest Florida Raiders), Instagram (@nwfraiders) and X (@NWFRaiders)
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