North West Florida State’s bats came into the JUCO World Series with never attending a world series up to this point. They came into the title game with a chip on their shoulders as the newcomer underdogs. They also came into the title game with stagnant bats following their last game against McLennan, where they could not buy a multiple hit inning much less a lot of runs. The title game featured McLennan Community College Highlanders vs. North West Florida State Raiders round 2, their second game in 24 hours.
North West Florida State the second time around re-charged their bats winning the title game 15-1, their first tile in program history. This time around McLennan’s pitching got roughed up, using five pitchers, and being able to silence the Raider bats like the last game. The Raiders and Highlanders were tied at one through three complete innings. That’s when the fourth inning came and the Raider offense took a strangle hold on the game. In the fourth inning North West Florida State scored six runs including a 3-run homerun. Aaron Palmer singled up the middle scoring two of the runs. Next batter after that, Dakota Dean, sends the three run homerun over the right filed fence, Dean’s first of two homeruns of the game. A couple innings later, Dean back up to bat with Palmer on base hits a two run homerun this time over the right field fence. Dean went 4/6 six runs batted in for him in the title game.
On the mound for the Raiders Corderias Dorsey, Outstanding Pitcher for tournament, goes the complete game nine innings striking out twelve batters and only allowing one run for the Highlanders. Dorsey fooled the Highlanders all game getting them to guess on pitches. Dorsey finishes the tournament with 22 strikeouts and a 0.52 ERA in 17 innings of work on the mound.
The Raiders not only won the NJCAA D1 JUCO World Series, but also got tournament awards too. The Raiders got Coach of the Tournament- Doug Martin, Outstanding Pitcher- Corderias Dorsey, Defensive Player of tournament- Mack Hathcock. North West Florida State also got three players on the all tournament team in Hathcock, Dean, and Tanner Halstead, who got hit earlier in the tournament in the left eye with a ball while at bat. The McLennan Highlanders also got tournament awards along with their second place trophy, Best Hitter- Mason George. They also placed three on the all tournament team in Will Fox, James Rudkin, and Mason George.
