Fort Lauderdale, Fla. (Apr. 21, 2010)  The Nova Southeastern University baseball team had their 18 game home win streak snapped in a 8-6 loss to Florida Tech in non-conference action at the NSU Baseball Complex on Wednesday evening. The loss drops the Sharks to 29-18 on the season while Florida Tech improves to 35-13.

NSU scored first on a sacrifice fly from senior third baseman Eric McCans (Pembroke Pines, Fla.) in the bottom of the first inning. Florida Tech tied the game in the top of the second with a single run and took the lead in the top of the third with a three run inning.

Florida Tech added to their lead with a solo run in the fourth inning and three runs in the fifth inning. The Panthers scored their three runs on four hits and a NSU error in the fifth.

The Sharks began a comeback in the bottom of the fifth inning, scoring four runs on three hits and a Florida Tech error. Senior first baseman Rhys Roberts (Parkland, Fla.), the back-to-back defending SSC Player of the Week, drove in two runs with a double to the left-centerfield gap.

NSU scored a single run on a RBI single from junior shortstop Luis Penate (Miami, Fla.), but could not complete the rally in the 8-6 loss.

Sharks starter Nick Avila (Jr., Pembroke Pines, Fla.) took the loss, allowing four earned runs in three and one-third innings pitched. NSU received three hitless innings of relief from junior Isaac Hicks (Ft. Myers, Fla.) to keep the Panthers bats at bay.

Senior outfielder Brayan Valencia (Pembroke Pines, Fla.) led the Sharks at the plate, going 3-4 with a run scored. Outfielders Nikko Echevarria (So., Abqaiq, Saudi Arabia) and Chris Hamper (So., Melbourne, Fla.) also had multiple hits, as Echevarria was 2-4 with two runs scored and Hamper was 2-3 with a run scored.

Nova Southeastern will host Palm Beach Atlantic in a doubleheader beginning at 2 p.m. at the NSU Baseball Complex on Saturday, April 24th.