TAMPA, Fla. – A familiar foe is on deck for the #4 Indians tonight in the winner's bracket final of the FCSAA/South Atlantic District Championships. Chipola will face the #2 seed Raiders of Northwest Florida at 5:30 CT at George M. Steinbrenner Field in Tampa.
The Raiders advanced by rallying for two runs in the ninth against the #3 seed, Florida SouthWestern. The Raiders won 8-7 after the Bucs hit three batters in the ninth to load the bases. An infield single and a sac fly scored the tying and winning runs to make complete an all Panhandle winner's bracket final.
MORE TOURNAMENT INFORMATION (including results & schedule)
PREVIOUS MEETINGS THIS SEASON
Chipola and Northwest Florida split their 6-game season series this season with each team winning two of three on the other's home field.
In each of their three losses to the Raiders, Chipola managed just one run. In their three victories over their rival, Chipola won a pair of 9-8 games and then survived to capture an 18-14 victory in the last meeting between the two teams. In that game, Chipola held a 14-3 lead and needing three outs in the bottom of the fifth inning to run-rule the Raiders. NWF not only avoided the early defeat but also scored 11 runs to tie the game. Chipola would score a pair of runs in each of the sixth and seventh innings to claim the 18-14 win.
CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIP
The Panhandle Championship between the two teams came down to the final week of the regular season. With Northwest Florida idle in the final week and holding a four game lead in the win column of the conference standings, Chipola needed to take four games from Tallahassee to share the title with the Raiders.
After winning the first two games of the week on the road, the Indians fell in the first game of a double header at home. Although Chipola would go on to defeat the Eagles in game two, the Raiders were able to take sole possession of the conference championship.
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