FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – The Nova Southeastern University softball team (15-5, 0-0 SSC) will begin Sunshine State Conference play against the No. 15 Tampa Spartans (16-2, 3-0 SSC) but will first take on UNC-Pembroke (12-8) in a non-conference battle in Tampa, Fla. this weekend.

The Sharks will take on the Braves in a doubleheader on Friday, March 11 at 6 p.m. NSU will turn right around to begin conference place against the Spartans on Saturday with a single game at 6 p.m. before tackling a doubleheader against Tampa on Sunday with the first pitch set for noon.

Senior Rachel Talenfeld (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) and sophomore Laura Saladrigas (Hollywood, Fla.) lead the Sharks at the plate. Talenfeld is third in the conference with a .476 average scoring a SSC high 25 runs. The lefty slapper also holds the top spot with 14 stolen bases. Talenfeld also has shown her patience at the plate topping the SSC with 15 walks.

Saladrigas has secured the top spot in conference with 27 runs batted in, while sitting fifth with a .452 batting average. While also topping the SSC with four dingers, Saladrigas is second in total bases with 48. The Shark slugger has an impressive .774 slugging percentage in the non-conference season.

On the mound, Sara DeMuth (Jr., Plant City, Fla.) is behind Tampa’s’ Deanna Henriott (101) in strikeouts with 71 for second place. DeMuth is 6-3 with a 1.75 earned run average.

The Sharks are batting .332 on the year and the Spartans trail at a .311 team batting average. Besides hitting at a great efficiency, the Sharks find a way to get on base anyway possible and are topping the ranks with a .439 on-base percentage. They total 83 walks and have been hit by 23 pitches, both at the No. 1 position in the conference.

Freshman Dani Millan (Ventura, Calif.) has already been hit by a pitch 10 times in her rookie campaign. She is now in the top-5 on the NSU’s career hit batters list with 10. The record is 22 over a four-year career by Kelly Brookins (2007-08).

About UNC-Pembroke
The Braves have not touched the field since Feb. 27 since they swept USC-Aiken in their first conference series. On Thursday, March 10, the Braves and Spartans are scheduled to play a doubleheader in Tampa.

Holly Berry paces the Braves at the plate with a .400 batting average, while Courtney Hill leads the team with 11 runs scored. UNC-Pembroke is batting .252 as a team.

In the circle, the team has not been lights out with a team ERA of 3.47. Starr Gilley is the Braves No. 1, registering a 2.68 earned run average with a 4-2 record.

On the bright side, their pitching staff holds opponents to a .252 batting average in 20 games this season.

The Series vs. UNC-Pembroke
This will be the fourth and fifth meeting between the two teams. The Sharks have a 2-1 series lead over the Braves, winning its last two. The last time that these two teams squared off, NSU dominated with a 9-1 victory in five innings on Feb. 6, 2009.

About Tampa
The University of Tampa is ranked No. 15 in the nation and has accumulated a 16-2 record this season with a perfect 3-0 in conference action.

The success of Tampa can be credited to its pitching staff which is tossing a 1.29 earned run average. In 114.0 innings, the Spartans lead the Sunshine State Conference with 132 strikeouts.

The ace for Tampa is Henriott, who missed last season due to injury. She leads the SSC with 101 strikeouts, posting a perfect 11-0 record and a 0.43 ERA.

At the plate, Becky Vyzas is hitting .460 with eight doubles, two triples and four home runs. The slugger for the Spartans has also earned 12 walks this season. Brittany Hipple and Julie Wisniewski are just below the .400 mark at .397 and .393, respectively.

The Series vs. Tampa
In three-game SSC conference series, NSU could take the all-time series lead between the two teams. Right now, the Spartans slightly edge the Sharks, 13-12.

Live Audio (Click HERE) and live stats (Click HERE) will be available for all the games this weekend. Also follow NSU Softball on Twitter through www.twitter.com/NSUSharks.