GAME 1 BOX SCORE | GAME 2 BOX SCORE

PENSACOLA, Fla. – The Nova Southeastern University softball team (5-1) suffered its first loss of the season to Delta State University (1-1) as the Sharks dominated game one, 7-3, but turned right around dropping game two, 3-2, on Saturday afternoon in the Gulf South/Sunshine State Regional Tournament hosted by West Florida.

GAME ONE
With the temperature nearly 30 degrees warmer than last night’s doubleheader, NSU kept the bats warm overnight and strung together nine hits for seven runs.

Sophomore Laura Saladrigas (Miami, Fla.) was perfect at the plate for the second straight game, as she scored two runs and was 3-for-3. The righty utility player also drew a walk and roped in another run for the Sharks.

In the first inning, NSU stepped to the plate scoring fours as freshman Dani Millan (Ventura, Calif.) and junior transfer Sara DeMuth (Plant City, Fla.) both plated two runs in their respected at-bats.

With the bases loaded and one out, Millan singled through the left side as Rachel Talenfeld (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) and Saladrigas came in as NSU found themselves up 2-0 early in the ball game.

DeMuth doubled a shot to left center for her first hit of her NSU career as she drove in two runs in the first inning.

Already through the lineup once, Talenfeld led off the second with a single to the Lady Statesmen shortstop. After putting herself in scoring position with a stolen base, Saladrigas hit a liner off the top of the right field fence easily scoring Talenfeld from second as NSU went up 5-0. Talenfeld scored three runs in the win.

The Sharks tacked on another run but this time it was from the bat of junior transfer Katie Kelton(Pembroke Pines, Fla.). With ducks on the pond and one out, Kelton grounded to the shortstop, whose only play was to first as NSU took command 6-0.

Delta State’s Maggie Johnson hit a solor home run over the left field fence in the sixth to cut the Sharks lead, 6-1. As Delta Stat seemed to feed off the four-base dinger, freshman Holly Roberson (Dunnellon, Fla.) made a diving catch on a line drive to left center where she quickly got up and threw to Gianni Artidiello (Fr., Miami, Fla.) at second for a key double-play.

Answering back with a run of its own in the bottom of the sixth, NSU led by six heading into the final inning of play.

Delta State added two to the scoreboard but the attempted comeback failed as NSU defeated the Lady Statesman, 7-3, in game one.

DeMuth tossed another complete game for Nova Southeastern as she scattered eight hits, walked two and struck out five. Despite Delta State scoring three runs, only one was earned as she holds her earned run average to 0.33 to start the season.

GAME TWO
The Nova Southeastern Sharks outhit Delta State in game two, 11-4, but was unable to execute as NSU left nine runners on base and dropped its first game of the year to the Lady Statesmen, 3-2.

In the first inning, NSU got on the board first as Artidiello led off the game with a double down the left field line. Talenfeld laid down a bunt single as the Sharks threatened with runners on first and third with no outs. After Artidiello was picked off just 60 feet away, Talenfeld later found herself on third with two outs. A Delta State error allowed Talenfeld to score her fourth run of the day as Lady Statesmen’s starter Victoria Combs was charged with an unearned run.

Unlike game one, Delta State answered to the run by NSU and a double off the glove of Saladrigas in right allowed the Lady Statesmen to score two runs with two outs.

With the pitchers from each team holding each other scoreless for the next three innings, NSU was the first to break the ice and evened things in the top of the fifth.

Roberson and Artidiello stood on first and second as Talenfeld laid down one of her two sacrifice bunts of the game to move both runners into scoring position with one out. Saladrigas, the team’s RBI leader, sent a ball to deep center as Delta State focused on Artidiello trek to third as she was thrown out but not before Roberson crossed home plate and the game was now at 2-2.

Just as the Lady Statesmen did in the first inning, they counteracted with the NSU run and retook the lead in the bottom of the fifth.

The Sharks had a couple opportunities in the final two innings but none of them resulted in a run as Nova Southeastern dropped its first game of the season.

Lexi Sarradet (Sr., Miami, Fla.) suffered the loss as she tossed 5.0 innings, giving up three earned runs and only surrendering three hits.

NSU concludes the GSC/SSC Regional Crossover Tournament at 10 a.m. EST with a doubleheader against host West Florida.

Click HERE for the link of the live broadcast for tomorrow's game and HERE for live stats.