GAME 1 BOX SCORE | GAME 2 BOX SCORE

PENSACOLA, Fla. – As the Nova Southeastern University softball team (5-3) played for nearly five and a half hours of softball, the Sharks were unable to walk away with a win as West Florida (4-0) took both games of the doubleheader, 8-6 and 9-5 (9 inn.), to conclude the Gulf South/Sunshine State Conference Regional Crossover Sunday afternoon.

GAME ONE
With one of the tougher Gulf South conference opponents, the Sharks set the tone in the first inning by loading the bases with one but were unable to drive a run across and take an early lead.

Despite West Florida’s starter Ashleigh McLean not allowing a hit, the righty walked three batters as the Sharks did a great job to put pressure on the junior pitcher.

In the following inning, freshman Dani Millan (Ventura, Calif.) led off with a double to right center. Once again the Sharks sat with runners in scoring position but were left with zero runs at the conclusion of the frame.

The West Florida Argonauts did their damage in the bottom of the second as Kaley Kania stepped to the plate with bases loaded and drove it over the left field fence for the four-base dinger. Rolling with momentum, the Argonauts tacked on two additional runs to take the 6-0 lead.

Sophomore Laura Saladrigas (Hollywood, Fla.), the hot-hitting righty, laced a single to left field to begin the third inning. With NSU having the lead-off batter on base for the third straight inning, the Sharks unfortunately was doubled off as Gina Bondarenko (Pembroke Pines, Fla.) hit a line to right center but a UWF’s centerfielder made a nice trek to the ball and found Saladrigas to far off the base for the two-out play.

In the fourth, the Sharks finally found home plate as freshman Holly Roberson (Dunnellon, Fla.) roped a single through the left side with two runners in scoring position to cut the Argonauts lead, 6-2.

Senior Brittany Phillips (Seminole, Fla.) started the rally for NSU as she led off the fourth with a stand up double to left center. Millan, who was hit-by-a-pitch to reach first, was moved to second on a Katie Kelton (Jr., Pembroke Pines) grounder to the pitcher, and Phillips sat just 60 feet away with one out.

Roberson dug in and drove the inside pitch through the left side scoring Philips and Millan for the Sharks second run.

The four-run deficit did not last long as the Argonauts scored two of their own in the bottom half of the fourth for their eighth run.

The Sharks scored three runs in the top of the sixth closing the gap 8-5. Millan reached base as she was hit for the second time in the ball game. After a wild pitch by McLean to advance Millan, the UWF’s pitcher fielded the dribbler from Kelton but was unable to get Millan as she ran on contact to third.

Freshman Gianni Artidiello (Miami, Fla.) laced a double down the left field line easily plating Millan. With Kelton rounding second, head coach Lesa Boneè sent the speedy junior home and she slid under the tag of UWF’s catcher Tiffany Duncan for Artidiello’s second RBI.

As Artidiello advanced to third on the heads up play, senior Rachel Talenfeld (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) singled up the middle as the Sharks trimmed the lead, 8-5.

With NSU’s final opportunity and down by three, the young squad fought to the very last pitch.

Phillips reached on the third hit by pitch from McLean as the Sharks put the first runner on in the inning. With a runner on and no outs, Millan singled up the middle as the Sharks threatened in the final frame. With two outs, Artidiello kept the game alive as she worked back from a 0-2 count as she trotted to first with the base on balls.

Still alive with the bases juiced, Talenfeld earned her second RBI of the day as her patience at the plate walked in a run. Down by two and three on base, Saladrigas hit a long fly ball but Elizabeth Nugent planted right in front of the fence as the comeback by NSU fell short.

The two and a half marathon found 16 hits and 14 runs between the two teams. NSU outhit the Argonauts, 9-7, and was plagued as the Sharks left 12 runners on base in the loss.

Junior native from Plant City, Fla., Sara DeMuth (3-1) was credited with the loss as threw a complete game as she finished with five earned runs, striking out two and walking six.

McLean (3-0) earned the win but was tagged with six earned runs, as she walked seven in game one. The righty threw over 170 pitches as she surrendered nine hits.

Both Millan and Artidiello finished 2-for-2 at the plate as Millan also scored two runs.

GAME TWO
In a back-and-forth battle that lasted nearly three hours, NSU was unable to solidify the late lead as they dropped the second game of the doubleheader 9-5 in nine innings.

With West Florida designated as the visiting team, the Argonauts were the first to strike. With two outs and a runner on third, Crystal Thompson roped a double to left as UWF scored the first run in game two.

Scattering hits left and right for West Florida, they finally strung enough to add another run in the third.

Down 2-0, one swing of the bat by Saladrigas evened the game as she hit her second home run of the season as the no-doubter changed the pace of the game in the bottom of the third.

In the top of the fifth, West Florida struck again as Thompson doubled again for the Argonauts, scoring the runner on first to retake a 3-2 lead.

This time, NSU answered back as they tacked on two runs as Millan doubled down the left field line as the Sharks saw its first lead of the day.

Talenfeld once again showed patience as a lead-off walk was the start of a Nova Southeastern rally. Saladrigas followed with an infield single as NSU put pressure on the Argonauts. Bondarenko laid down a perfect sacrifice bunt in front of home plate to move both runner in scoring position and less than two outs.

Millan took advantage on a 1-0 count and laced a pitch past UWF’s third baseman Amber Ingram.

With the lead, senior Lexi Sarradet (Miami, Fla.) who started the game, was replaced by DeMuth.

Sarredet tossed 5.0 innings, allowing three runs on eight hits and struck out three.

Holding off the Argonauts in the sixth, DeMuth was still fronted with a save opportunity.

West Florida did not fold as McLean sliced a two-out double down the left field line. As Ingram hit a grounder that was botched by Artidiello, McLean did not slow down as she rounded third as the ball scurried away from NSU’s second baseman.

NSU put a runner in scoring position in the bottom of the seventh but failed to bring Bondarenko home with one out.

In extra innings and a runner placed on second with no outs in the eighth, both teams capitalized and each scored a run, sending the game to another inning in the second game.

West Florida broke open the lead in the top of the ninth, scoring four runs on three hits as the Argonauts took a 9-5 lead.

The Sharks had runners on first and third and once NSU’s comeback attempt was not a success.

Nova Southeastern tallied 10 hits in the loss but once again was plagued as they left 13 runners on base.

NSU will have six days off before they travel to West Palm Beach to tackle Northwood in a doubleheader on Saturday, Feb. 19. First pitch is slated for noon.