GAME ONE BOX SCORE | GAME TWO BOX SCORE

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – The Nova Southeastern baseball team (8-6) split a double-header Saturday in Livingston, Ala. against the West Alabama Tigers. Dusty Maggs (Sr., Satellite Beach, Fla.) hit a game-winning RBI single in the 11th inning, helping the Sharks defeat the Tigers, 11-10. The Tigers answered back by winning the final game of the weekend, 3-0.

In the Sharks’ eighth victory of the season, Andrew Durden (Sr., Port St. Lucie, Fla.) hit his fourth home run of the year during a six-run fifth inning. He would finish the game batting 3-for-6 with two RBI and a run. Leadoff hitter Carlos Asuaje (Fr., Weston, Fla.) had a strong outing by going 3-for-6 with three RBI and a run. Areo Regoli (Jr., Homestead, Fla.) and Matt Seese (Sr. Ocala, Fla.) all scored once while collecting two RBI a piece.

After picking up two wins against NSU on Friday, UWA continued its success at the start of the game by going up, 4-0, after two innings. The Sharks chipped away at the lead with a run in the third and two in the fourth. Asuaje led off the third with a double to right field and stole second on the next at bat. He would score on Regoli’s groundout to second base.

In the fourth, Ray Navarro (Jr., Miami, Fla.) drew a walk and stole second base. Luis Penate (Sr., Miami, Fla.) plated him with a single before reaching second on an error in left field. Seese drove Penate home with a sacrifice fly to right field. Navarro finished the game batting 2-for-5 with three runs while Penate went 3-for-5 with a run and a RBI.

The Tigers immediately rebuilt their lead by scoring three runs in the bottom of the fourth. The Sharks took the lead in the fifth as they recorded a season-best six run side. Nikko Echevarria (Abqaib, Saudi Arabia) scored his first of two runs by reaching on an error and scoring off a Regoli single up the middle. Durden followed up with his homer to left field, cutting the Sharks’ deficit back to a single run.

After Navarro, Angulo and Seese loaded the bases, Asuaje collected all three of his RBI with a double up the middle. Echevarria and Regoli both drew walks in the next two at bats to load the bases, but NSU could not capitalize on the opportunity. The Sharks also failed on a bases loaded opportunity in the sixth.

Both teams scored in the eighth inning as the Sharks entered the final frame with a two run lead. UWA’s Brian Simone tied the game with an RBI single to left field. Sean Albury (Sr., Nassau, Bahamas) (1-1) was brought into the game and struck out two batters sending the game to extra innings. Albury would strike out the side in the 10th before his team earned him the win in the 11th.

In the final inning of the game, Echevarria led off and reached base on an error by the first baseman. Regoli and Haven Fitzsimmonds (Sr., Loxahatchee, Fla.) each advanced the runner with a sacrifice bunt and a groundout to second base. With two outs on the board, Maggs hit his game-winning single to right field. It was his first hit of the day as he entered the at bat 0-for-4.

Torey Ekey (Sr., Merrit Island, Fla.) collected his first save of the season by holding the Tigers scoreless in the final side.

The Sharks did not fare as well in the second game as they were shutout and held to three hits. Ryan Whelan (Sr., Boca Raton, Fla.) (2-1) threw a complete game, pitching six innings and striking out a season-high 10 batters while walking one. Whelan now has 19 strikeouts on the season, one short of the team-lead.

Penate went 2-for-2 with a walk in the game, pairing with Echevarria as the only two Sharks to earn hits off of Tyler Bratton (1-1), who earned the decision.

The Sharks only had four runners in scoring position over the seven-inning game, but came closest to scoring in the sixth inning. Seese led off the inning by drawing a walk before Asuaje reached on a fielder’s choice. They pulled off a double steal to put themselves in scoring position. The Tigers retired the next two batters to get out of the jam.

UWA’s Brian Burgess picked up the save by striking out the final two batters of the game.

The Sharks will have a week to rest after their longest road trip of the year before hosting St. Rose in a doubleheader on Saturday, Mar. 5 at 1 p.m at the NSU Baseball Complex.