GAME 1 BOX SCORE | GAME 2 BOX SCORE

CLEARWATER, Fla. – The Nova Southeastern University softball team (10-4) left Saturday owning a perfect 2-0 record after opening the day with a win over host Eckerd (3-8), 11-2, before holding off the No. 22 Flagler Saints, 5-3, in the Eckerd College Tritons Spring Invitational at Eddie C. Moore Complex.

GAME ONE
The Sharks blew by the Tritons in the first game on Saturday as it only took five innings for NSU to walk away with the win.

Senior Devin Higginbotham (Palatka, Fla.) tossed a complete game, holding the Tritons two runs in 5.0 innings of work for her first win of the season. The righty scattered eight hits, while only walking one.

NSU came out of fire in the home half of the first as they batted around the lineup, scoring seven runs.

Freshman Gianni Artidiello (Miami, Fla.) led off with a rope down the left field line. Rachel Talenfeld (Sr., Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) laid down the sac bunt, but an errant throw put runners in scoring position. 

Laura Saladrigas (Hollywood, Fla.) blooped a single to right field to load the bases for the freshman Dani Millan (Ventura, Calif).

Millan singled to left for the Sharks first run of the game. Still with one out, senior Brittany Phillips(Seminole, Fla.) doubled to right field plating two more runs.

Immediately following the double by Phillips, freshman Holly Roberson (Dunnellon, Fla.) singled to centerfield bringing home the Sharks fifth run of the inning.

Still in the first, Artidiello got her second hit of the inning to drive in Roberson.

With junior Katie Kelton (Jr., Pembroke Pines, Fla.) on third after reaching on a single, Artidiello purposely stayed in a rundown long enough for Kelton to cross home as the Sharks took a staggering 7-0 lead after one inning of play.

Eckerd responded by scoring two runs in the top half of the second.

Still ahead 7-2, both teams did not score in the third, but the Sharks continued to pound on the Eckerd pitching staff scoring four more runs in the fourth.

Kelton led off the inning with another hit for the Sharks. Two back-to-back singles by Artidiello and Talenfeld, scored Kelton and freshman Gina Bondarenko (Pembroke Pines, Fla.) laid down the suicide squeeze with Artidiello on third. As the catcher mishandled the toss, Talenfeld came around from second to score. 

Marissa Raimo (So., Hampton Bays, N.Y.) would drive in the Sharks final run of the game with single to the Tritons second baseman.

Artidiello was a perfect 3-for-3 for the Sharks, scoring two runs while driving in one. Talenfeld and Kelton both finished 2-for-2 at the plate.

Whitney Bernier suffered the loss and was held to 3.0 innings, as the Sharks powered 11 hits on 11 runs against the Triton hurler.

GAME TWO
The true test of the day was against No. 22 Flagler Saints to close out Saturday. Junior transfer Sara DeMuth (Plant City, Fla.) was given the starting nod against the nationally ranked team.

The Saints, who only suffered one loss this season, were looking for revenge after falling to Tampa in day one of the Spring Invitational.

The first two innings was a pitching battle between DeMuth and Flagler’s Kayln Loverich.

Flagler’s defense faltered in the third as DeMuth reached first after an error by Flagler’s shortstop. A wild pitch by Loverich advanced DeMuth in scoring position. Kelton laid down a perfect bunt single to put runners on first and third with no outs.

Another error by Flagler’s shortstop on a Talenfeld grounder allowed DeMuth to cross home for the Sharks first run. Saladrigas, NSU's RBI leader, drove in two additional runs as the Sharks big inning resulted in a 3-0 crucial lead.

With two outs in the fifth, Flagler mustered together a rally but was held to only one run, cutting NSU’s lead 3-1.

DeMuth helped out her own cause by blasting a shot over the left center wall for her first home run of the season. Filtering off the dinger, the Sharks quickly loaded the bases with no outs. The Sharks hit into two groundouts but Millan walked in Talenfeld as she stood patient on the 3-1 count.

Flagler's last opportunity for a comeback was a valiant effort, but unsuccessful. Ahead 5-1, the Saints scored two runs and had the tying run on base, but DeMuth forced Tori Jolley to groundout ending the game and securing the win.

DeMuth (5-2) pitched her sixth complete game of the season as she scattered seven hits and struck out nine.

Loverich (8-1) suffered her first loss only lasting 3.0 innings, surrendering two hits and three runs.

The Sharks will compete in the final day of the Spring Invitational as they square off against West Florida at 9:30 a.m. before concluding with Lynn at noon on Sunday.