FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. - As the Nova Southeastern University softball team (2-0) continues its trek in the 2011 season, the Sharks will head west to Pensacola, Fla. to participate in the Gulf South/Sunshine State Conference Regional Crossover on Feb. 10-12.
The Sharks will square off against three teams in North Alabama (2/10 at 6 p.m.), Delta State (2/11 at 10 a.m.) and conclude with host West Florida (2/12 at 9 a.m.).
Each game is a regional game, which is important due to the SSC not having a conference tournament. The Sharks look to earn points in the regional standings in order to make a run in the postseason.
NSU began the season with a sweep against the St. Thomas Bobcats on Wednesday, Feb. 8. In the opening game, the Sharks came from behind and won in the final inning, taking a 5-4 victory away from STU. Four Sharks had multiple-hit showings and were led by junior
Katie Kelton (Pembroke Pines, Fla.) who was a staggering 3-for-4 from the plate.
In the second game, junior transfer
Sara DeMuth (Plant City, Fla.) tossed a complete-game shutout as NSU used three-hits to score two runs for a 2-0 win.
The Sharks are batting .294 as a team and the Sharks pitching staff have a 2.00 earned run average.
About North Alabama
North Alabama will begin its season against NSU on Friday. The Roaring Lions finished the 2010 season with a 29-29 overall record and 12-13 in Gulf Coast play.
Losing six letterwinners, seniors Jennifer Sharp and Kathryn Young are UNA’s top returners.
Sharp led the team with a .322 batting average after starting all 58 games for the Lions. She also posted a team-best 10 doubles on the year. Young started all 58 games at catcher for UNA. She batted .295 and had a .361 slugging percentage.
The Series vs. North Alabama
The doubleheader against North Alabama will be the fifth and sixth meeting between the two squads. The Sharks have a perfect 4-0 mark against the Lions. Last year, NSU swept UNA, 9-3 and 7-6, in last year's GSC/SSC Regional Crossover.
About Delta State
The Lady Statesmen will also begin their season with a doubleheader against NSU. Delta State finished last season with a 27-27 record and 13-17 in the GSC.
The Lady Statesman hit .271 as a team and were led by Crista Richards who had a team high .359 average, scored 38 runs and swiped 12 bases.
DSU's top returner in the circle is Brittany Gonzalez. She posted a 9-5 record with a 3.32 ERA.
The Series vs. Delta State
This will be the sixth and seventh meeting between the teams. Delta State leads the all-time series by one, 3-2, as NSU split with the Lady Statesmen (4-5, 2-1) in the Delta State Tournament last year.
About West Florida
The Sharks will conclude the Crossover against West Florida, who earned a spot in postseason play last year.
The Argonauts posted a 40-16 record in 2010, including a 16-11 mark in GSC play. The team batted .325, powering 136 multi-base hits.
Overall the pitching staff had a 2.92 ERA and held opponents to a .275 batting average, but UWF lost nine letterwinners and five starters.
The Series vs. West Florida
NSU also trails the Argonauts, 2-3, in the all-time series. The Sharks split with UWF in the GSC/SSC Regional Crossover last season (1-4, 6-5).
