GAME 1 BOX SCORE | GAME 2 BOX SCORE

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. – Heading into game one with a 48-win streak over the Northwood University Seahawks (3-5), the Nova Southeastern University softball team (6-4) took game one, 6-4, keeping the streak alive but it was halted after a 5-4 loss in game two, Saturday afternoon on the campus of Northwood University.

GAME ONE
As Laura Saladrigas (Hollywood, Fla.) earned her first appearance in the circle this season, she left earning a win, hurling 5.0 innings and striking out four as Northwood tallied four runs on seven hits.

With the help of her own bat and the rest of the Nova Southeastern Sharks, she earned an early 2-0 cushion in their first at-bats. Senior Rachel Talenfeld (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) singled and stole second with one out as Saladrigas stepped to the plate. Saladrigas singled to center field, easily scoring Talenfeld from second. With the run scored, Talenfeld took sole possession of second place on NSU’s all-time runs scored. She passed Diane Ocampo (1998-01), who totaled 158 in her four-year career.

Gina Bondarenko (Pembroke Pines, Fla.) stepped up and lined a single to right, driving in Saladrigas for the Sharks second run.

NSU followed suit in the second inning, pushing through two more runs for a 4-1 lead. Freshman Gianni Artidiello (Miami, Fla.) singled up the middle, as she has now reached base in every game this season. Talenfeld walked on four straight pitches to put runners on first and second for the dangerous Saladrigas. Artidiello and Talenfeld made Saladrigas’ job easier as both swiped second and third to put themselves in prime scoring position.

Saladrigas hit a deep fly ball to center allowing Aridiello to cross home plate for her first of two runs in the game. Freshman Dani Millan (Ventura, Calif.) drove her fourth extra-base of the year in the gap in left field for a standing double, brining home Talenfeld.

Saladrigas made a statement in the fourth as she laced her third homerun of the year of the left centerfield wall, extending the lead, 6-1. With the dinger, Saladrigas already surpasses her total from the 2010 season. The righty utility player finished the game 2-for-2 with four RBI.

Senior Lexi Sarradet (Miami, Fla.) was sent into relief in the sixth inning. With nobody out and the Seahawks creeping back and cutting the lead 6-4, Sarradet shut Northwood down with three straights outs.

The righty earned her first save of the season and third of her career as she tossed 2.0 innings, not allowing a hit.

GAME TWO
With the streak in question as Northwood took a 5-1 lead after two innings, NSU was held to three runs for the rest of the game, as the Sharks dropped a 5-4 decision to the Seahawks.

The Sharks got a run after a first inning leadoff double by Artidiello. Talenfeld singled to third and then purposely got into a run down, allowing enough time for the speedy Artidiello to score the Sharks first run.
Senior Devin Higginbotham (Palatka, Fla.) earned the start but was held to a minimal 2.0 innings pitched after surrendering five runs on four hits and four walks.

The Sharks rallied across three runs in the fourth to cut the Seahawks lead to one. NSU used three hits and three errors in the process.

Sara DeMuth (Plant City, Fla.) came in for Higginbotham and held the Seahawks hitless in 4.0 innings of work, but it was one run to late.

In the Sharks final attempt in the top of the seventh, all signs pointed in NSU’s favor. Talenfeld, who earned a leadoff walk, passed former teammate Noemi Luciani (2007-10) with 89 career free passes.

After Talanfeld advanced on a wild pitch, Saladrigas hit a double to put runners on second and third. Two pop ups and one strikeout by the next Shark hitters found NSU with its first loss ever to Northwood University and they failed to bring in the tying run.

The Sharks will travel to Clearwater next week, Feb. 25-27 for the Eckerd Tournament, as NSU once again will play six games in three day.