NWF Falls to Southern Nevada in Extra Innings, 7-6

GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. – Northwest Florida State baseball dropped its opening game in Colorado today, falling to the ninth-seeded Southern Nevada 7-6 in extra innings.

Despite out-hitting Southern Nevada 12 to 10 and holding a 4-3 lead heading into the seventh inning, the Raiders couldn't secure the win.

The Coyotes opened the scoring with Ballinger's two-run homer to left field in the first inning. The Raiders responded in the bottom of the first, tying the game at 2-2 with sacrifice flies, including one from Cade Sadler. A sacrifice fly from Brock Tapper in the bottom of the third put Northwest Florida State ahead, 3-2.

Southern Nevada tied the game at 3-3 in the top of the fifth with a sacrifice bunt from Garritano. In the bottom of the fifth, Jaquae Stewart hit a no-doubt solo home run to center field, giving the Raiders a 4-3 lead.

In the top of the seventh, Southern Nevada regained the lead with Ballinger's two-run double and a sacrifice fly from Cruz, making it 6-4. Brock Tapper cut the deficit to 6-5 in the bottom of the seventh with a two-out RBI double to left field, bringing home Qrey Lott.

With their backs against the wall, the Raiders tied the game at 6-6 in the ninth inning. A walk from Tapper and a single from Bryce Hubbard allowed Tyler Lejeune to single up the middle and bring home the tying run. Southern Nevada stranded the winning run at third by striking out Preston Murphy, sending the game into extra innings.

Southern Nevada took a 7-6 lead in the top of the tenth with a solo home run to left field by Long. In the bottom of the tenth, the Raiders managed to get the tying and winning runs on base, but a lineout to third by Lott and a strikeout by Tapper ended their comeback attempt.

Uribe earned the win for Southern Nevada, pitching two-thirds of an inning without allowing any hits or runs. Tapper took the loss for Northwest Florida State, pitching four innings and allowing two runs (one earned) on three hits. Sam Strek started for the Raiders, giving up five hits and three runs (two earned) over four and two-thirds innings.

The Raiders collected 12 hits, with Tapper driving in two runs and both Chase Williams and Stewart contributing multiple hits. The team displayed patience at the plate, drawing seven walks, including three from Stewart, and showed aggressiveness on the base paths, stealing four bases, including two by Colby Jones. Southern Nevada tallied ten hits, led by Ballinger's three-for-five performance with three RBIs. Wheatley added two hits in four at-bats.

The Raiders will be back tomorrow night at 8:00 p.m. (CDT) for an elimination game against three-seed Iowa Western. The winner of that game will face the winner of game six between seven-seed McLennan and ten-seed Shelton State.