Story by Near Post Sports
We recognize all those students who play sports in the Florida Panhandle for the determination to balance school work with athletic demands.April 6 is National Student-Athlete Day.
National Student-Athlete Day, was created 1987 by the National Consortium for Academics and Sports (NCAS). It honors high school and college student-athletes who have achieved excellence in academics and athletics, while having made significant contribution to their schools and communities. It promotes the positive virtues of sport, student-athletes as a whole, and the positive affect they both have on society.
The Raider baseball team broke out with four runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to finish off the Fort Walton Beach Vikings, 7-3.This was a continuation of their matchup Friday night in Wahoo Stadium, which was called due to dense fog.
The teams picked up the action in the fifth inning with Navarre up 2-0 — Joe Vanselow on the hill for the Raiders. The Vikings rolled in and evened things up in the top of the fifth. Fort Walton’s Alex Kruse gave up a walk to Vanselow to lead off the bottom of the inning. The runner worked around the bases, and he scored — in a very close call — on a roller to third base, beating the throw.
Fort Walton tied things up again in the top of the sixth. But when Kruse’s pitches were up in the strike zone, Navarre loaded the bases with no outs against the southpaw. Two runs scored on walks, and the Vikings brought on Josh Noll in relief. He got tagged with two more runs before getting out of the inning.
Vanselow ended up with the win — his third of the season — after Korey Betts pitched four scoreless innings on Friday.
Navarre (6-7) goes to Booker T. Washington (13-3) tomorrow. Fort Walton Beach is off until Friday when they host Niceville (13-3).
All photos by Stu Camp
