FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (Mar. 16, 2010) - The Nova Southeastern softball team swept the Ave Maria Gyrenes in a home double-header Tuesday night. The Sharks (24-7) won the first game against the Gyrenes (5-13), 8-0 (6) and took the final game, 11-0 (5).

Laura Saladrigas (Fr., Hollywood, Fla.) put forth her best performance of the year, pitching a one-hitter in the opening game. She pitched a complete game and only allowed one walk while striking out two batters. She improved her record to 3-0 overall.

On offense, Lauren Lopez (Miami, Fla.) led the way with one RBI on 3-for-4 hitting. Dana Bergner (Sr., Palm Harbor, Fla.) also played well with two hits and three at bats.

In the second game, Devin Higginbotham (Jr., Palatka, Fla.), Dani Caron (Sr., Wellington, Fla.), and Lexi Sarradet (Sr., Miami, Fla.) all through a combined no-hitter over five innings. The trio struck out a combined 11 batters, a new season-high. Higginbotham set her career-high as well by striking out eight of her nine at bats faced. She earned the win and improved her overall record to 5-1.

Just after being named Sunshine State Conference Player of the Week, Jessica Hernandez hit 2-for-3 with two runs and three RBI. Rachel Talenfeld (Jr., Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) and Brittany Phillips (Jr., Seminole, Fla.) both hit 2-for-3 with one run and three RBI.

In the opening game, the Sharks ended the game early with a steady dose of offense. Six Sharks batted in runs over six innings. They scored their first run in the opening inning when Lopez and Hernandez hit back-to-back triples. It was Hernandez's first of four RBI on the day.

The Sharks struck again in the fourth when they scored two runs off of a throwing error. Brittney Lamb (Sr., West Palm Beach, Fla.) batted in another run in the fifth off of a groundout to first base.

NSU closed the show in the sixth inning by scoring the final four runs of the game. After Phillips and Noemi Luciani (Sr., Miami, Fla.) walked to start the inning, Talenfeld drove in a run with a single. Luciani followed up by stealing home and Lauren Lopez hit an RBI triple to centerfield. Caron came in as a pinch hitter and hit a walk-off RBI single.

In the second game, Hernandez scored two runs with her second RBI triple in the first inning. She was eventually brought home on Phillips' groundout to the shortstop. Luciani scored the fourth run of the game with an RBI single in the second inning.

The Sharks' third inning was their best since they played Mercyhurst on Feb. 23. They scored seven runs on six hits, putting them up by 11 runs. Luciani and Phillips both had two RBI in the third. Hernandez, Lamb, and Bergner also batted in runs. It was only the third time all season that the Sharks had seven or more runs in an inning.

Overall the Sharks had 12 hits in the game, tying their fourth highest total of the season. Eight of NSU's nine starters earned hits while four had a multiple hit game.

The Sharks will continue SSC play this Friday, Mar. 19 when they begin a weekend series at home against Florida Tech at 7 pm.