“This is baseball,” said Navarre High School head baseball coach Mickey O’Quinn after the Raiders’ 2-1 win March 30 at “The Hill” in Niceville, believed to be the school’s first-ever varsity win against the Eagles.
“Great pitching on both sides, trying to bunt the runners over, doing the little things it takes to scratch out a win....”
That win and a 5-4 victory against Carlisle, Ohio, on March 31 at Crestview propelled the Raiders into the championship game of the Northwest Florida Bulldog Classic on April Fool’s Day. Four Navarre pitchers struggled with their control in the Raiders’ 0-9 loss to defending Class 5A champion Pace in the final, dropping Navarre to 9-10 overall. The game between District 1-5A rivals doesn’t count in the district standings. Pace improved to 14-2 overall and had a 7-1 loop mark at week’s end.

For more on this story, see the April 7 edition of the Navarre Press or subscribe online.