BOX SCORE

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – The Nova Southeastern baseball team (15-7) played its final out-of-region game Wednesday night at the NSU Baseball Complex as the Sharks defeated the St. Michael’s Purple Knights (3-3), 13-4.

Scott Woodrey (Jr., Lighthouse Point, Fla.) and Alan Avila (Jr., Pembroke Pines, Fla.) both had unforgettable performances as each hit their career home runs. Woodrey hit his on a grand slam in the first inning that put the Sharks up 4-0, establishing a lead NSU would never give up. It was the second grand slam for the Sharks this season. Woodrey finished 3-for-5 on the night with five RBI and a run.

Avila started the game after being forced to go to the hospital the night before with flu symptoms. Avlia demanded to head coach Greg Brown that he still start the game and backed up his words with a solo blast down the left field line in the third inning. It was Avila’s second hit of the season on only his third plate appearance. He reached base on every at bat Wednesday night, finishing 3-for-3 with a walk and three RBI.

Zachary Westcott (Fr., Weston, Fla.) was picked to start the game on Wednesday morning and put forth a solid performance. Westcott struck out six batters over four innings and limited the Purple Knights to five hits. James Martinez (Sr., Hollywood, Fla.) (1-0) earned the win by pitching two shutout innings in relief while holding St. Michael’s to two hits. Patrick Morris (Fr., Plantation, Fla.), Ralph Pena (So., Miami, Fla.), and Torey Ekey (Sr., Merritt Island, Fla.) each pitched one frame and limited the Purple Knights to a single hit over the final three innings. 

The Sharks established their lead early with their biggest inning of the night in the first. St. Michael’s walked three out of the first four batters, setting up Woodrey for his grand slam off the scoreboard. It was Woodrey’s first hit of the season in his second start. Alex Marrero (So., Miami, Fla.) was walked in the next at bat before Blake Boyd (So., Jupiter, Fla.) completed the inning with a RBI single to right field.

NSU pushed the lead to seven runs in the next inning. Matt Seese (Sr., Ocala, Fla.) reached base on a fielder’s choice and went on to steal second and third base. Anthony Angulo (Jr., Homestead, Fla.), one of two regular starters in the game, plated Seese on single to left centerfield. After Dusty Maggs (Sr., Sattelite Beach, Fla.) earned a walk, Woodrey struck again with a standup RBI double to left centerfield that sent Angulo home.

The Purple Knight offense had their only effective frame in the third as they scored all four of their runs. The Sharks answered back with a run in both the third and fifth innings. Avila hit his solo home run in the third with two outs on the board. Two innings later, Michael Hartley (Sr., Davie, Fla.) earned a leadoff walk and advanced to third on a double to right field by Marrero. Avila would earn his second RBI of the night on a sacrifice fly to right field.

The Sharks capped off the evening with two runs each in the seventh and eighth innings. In the seventh, Boyd led off with a single up the middle and stole second base. Avila picked up another RBI with a single to right field, his third of the night. Seese followed by drawing a walk and after Avila was called out at the plate, Seese scored off a passed ball.

With two outs in the eighth, the Sharks loaded the bases on two singles and a walk before Seese and Sharad Johnson (Sr., Nassau, Bahamas) each picked up an RBI by drawing walks. Pitcher Nick Avila (Sr., Pembroke Pines, Fla.) stepped to the plate for the first time in his career. He nearly took it out of the park on the first pitch but the centerfielder made the final out of the side.

The Sharks’ nine-run win could have been bigger as the Sharks left three runners on base in two separate innings. The Sharks collected seven stolen bases on the night while leadoff hitter Seese claimed four of them.

The Sharks will return to Sunshine State Conference action this Friday, March 18 in a rematch against Florida Tech at 6 p.m.