Box Score

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – The Nova Southeastern baseball team (1-0) started its 2011 season on a high note by defeating the Northwood Seahawks (0-1), 2-1 Tuesday night at the NSU Baseball Complex. The victory was the first for new head coach Greg Brown, who took the position this past June.

After completing a 9-0 season in 2010, Isaac Hicks (Sr., Ft. Myers, Fla.) opened the season for the Sharks and pitched seven shutout innings. He struck out seven batters and only gave up one hit, an infield single that took a bad bounce. Hicks stretched his winning streak over the last two seasons to 10 as he has not lost a game since May of 2009.

Nikko Echevarria (Jr., Abqaib, Saudi Arabia) starting the game off with his team’s first hit in the 1st inning, a single to center field. After Echevarria stole second, Dusty Maggs (Sr., Satellite Beach, Fla.) drove in his team’s first run with an RBI single to left center field. Maggs attempted to put himself in scoring position but was thrown out at second base. Echevarria finished the night batting 2-for-3 with one run

The Sharks went through three scoreless innings until they drove in their second run. In his NSU debut, Andrew Durden (Sr., Port St. Lucie, Fla.) hit a solo home run to left field in the fifth inning. It marked an impressive start for the NSU’s leadoff hitter, as he hit the first opening day home run since both Eric McCanns and Brian Cook hit homers on opening day in 2008. Durden finished with the game with two hits over four at bats and one RBI.

NSU had a chance to blow the Seahawks out in the sixth inning as Blake Boyd (So., Jupiter, Fla.) and Haven Fitzsimmonds (Sr., Loxahatchee, Fla.) each walked before Carlos Asuaje (Weston, Fla.), the team’s only starting freshman, reached base on a bunt single. With the bases loaded, Seahawk reliever Jake Kutsukos struck out Durden to escape the inning.

The Sharks looked well on their way towards an opening day victory as preseason All-South Region selection Sean Albury (Sr., Nassau, Bahamas) entered the game in the ninth inning and struck out his first two batters. Northwood went out swinging as the Seahawks picked up back-to-back hits and drove in one run. With the tying run on second base, Albury picked up his first save of the season by striking out Northwood’s Dan Heskin.

Despite the one run difference, the Sharks outhit the Seahawks 9-2 until Northwood’s near comeback in the ninth inning. The Sharks left nine runners on base, including at least one in innings two through six.

Picking up the loss for Northwood was Sean Koecheler, who played for NSU last season. Koecheler pitched well with eight strikeouts over five innings, but allowed both of the Sharks' runs.

Prior to the game, former head coach and current athletic director Mike Mominey was honored for his 10 year career as the Sharks’ head coach. Mominey ended his career after six straight seasons of 30 or more wins before passing the torch to Brown.

The Sharks will return to the NSU Baseball Complex this Friday, Feb. 4 to begin a weekend series against Albany State at 6 p.m.