WINTER PARK, Fla. (Mar. 27, 2010) - The Nova Southeastern softball team was swept by the No. 23 Rollins Tars Saturday in Winter Park, Fla. The Sharks (27-12, 5-4 SSC) dropped the opening game, 4-3 and fell to the Tars (26-4, 5-1 SSC) in the final game, 5-1.
In the opening game, current SSC Player of the Week Jessica Hernandez (Sr., Miami, Fla.) had a solid outing in which she batted 2-for-3 and scored two runs. Lauren Lopez (Sr., Miami, Fla.) went 1-for-4 in the game with a solo home run in the sixth inning.
In the second game, The Sharks were held to only two hits by Rollins' freshman pitcher Kirsten Frame. Rachel Talenfeld (Jr., Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) earned the first hit while Lopez earned the other along with an RBI.
The Tars started the first game off strong as Krista Rodden put the Sharks in a hole by hitting a three-run homer over the left center field fence. The Sharks were held to two hits and no runs over the first three innings.
The Sharks scored their first run in the fourth inning when Hernandez led off with a standup double to left field. Laura Saladrigas (Fr., Hollywood, Fla.) advanced her to third on a groundball out. Brittney Lamb (Sr., West Palm Beach, Fla.) flew out on the next at bat but Hernandez scored when the right fielder committed a throwing error.
In the bottom of the fifth, the NSU deficit returned to three runs when Rollins' Amber Pederson hit a solo home run past center field. The Sharks cut the Tars lead in the sixth inning, which began with a leadoff home run from Lopez.
Hernandez followed up with a single and eventually advanced to third on a groundout and a pass ball. Lamb cut the Rollins lead to one run with a single to left center field. Rollins immediately made a pitching change by entering in Frame, who earned her second save by retiring five of the last six batters without allowing a hit.
Lexi Sarradet took the loss but still pitched well. She pitched four scoreless innings and only allowed five hits. Sarradet struck out five batters and only walked one. Her record falls to 7-6 on the season.
In the final game of the series, The Sharks took their only lead of the series with one run in the third inning. Rachel Talenfeld reached on an error and advanced to second with one out on the board. Lopez followed up with a triple to right center field, driving in Talenfeld.
The Sharks were unable to get a hit for the remainder of the game. In the fourth inning, the Tars scored all five runs on four hits and two errors. The Tars retired nine of the last 11 games to earn their third victory of the series.
Outside of the fourth inning, Dani Caron (Sr., Wellington, Fla.) pitched well. In five of the six innings pitched, Caron held the Tars scoreless and only allowed four hits. Her record falls to 11-3 overall.
The Sharks will return home this Monday, Mar. 30 at 7 pm to start a weekend series against Florida Southern.
