Colby Jones Leads NWF Past Iowa Western with Four RBIs in 11-5 Victory 

GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. – Colby Jones drove in four runs on three hits to lead Northwest Florida State to an 11-5 win over Iowa Western on Sunday. Jones hit a two-run homer to left field in the sixth inning, singled in the third to score one, and singled again in the fourth to bring in another run.

The Reivers took an early lead in the top of the first inning with an RBI double from Sorenson and an RBI single from Saunders. The Raiders quickly tied the game in the bottom of the first with an RBI double by Cayden Gaskin and a ground-out RBI by Jaquae Stewart, tying the game up at two apiece.

Singles from Jones, Kendrey Maduro, and Bryce Hubbard in the bottom of the third inning helped push the Raiders' lead to 6-2. In the bottom of the fourth, the Raiders extended their lead to six thanks to an RBI single from Jones and an RBI groundout from Case Sadler, putting Northwest Florida up 8-2.

The Raiders only continued to add on to their lead in the bottom of the sixth inning courtesy of back-to-back home runs by Jones (two-run) and Stewart (solo), putting the Raiders up 11-4. The Reivers added one run in the top of the ninth with a solo home run to left field by Hvidsten. However, this is all they could muster up as Northwest Florida wins 11-5 in an elimination game.

Mack Estrada earned the win for the Raiders, allowing six hits and four runs (two earned) over six and one-third innings, striking out seven and walking three. Scott took the loss for Iowa Western, pitching three innings and allowing seven runs on nine hits, with two strikeouts and one walk. Bryon Rincones appeared in relief for Northwest Florida, tossing 2.2 innings, allowing one hit and one run, with three strikeouts.

The Raiders tallied 13 hits in the game. Jones and Chase Williams each collected three hits, while Maduro and Gaskin each had two hits. Jones also stole two bases, contributing to the team's six.

This win pushes Northwest Florida further into the elimination bracket. The Raiders will now square off against tenth-seeded Shelton State tomorrow at 2:00 p.m. (CDT) for another elimination game. The winner of that one will face the loser of game ten between (4) Georgia Highlands and (1) Johnson County.