BOX SCORE

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – The Nova Southeastern baseball team (15-8, 2-2 SSC) lost the first game of a weekend series Friday night at the NSU Baseball Complex against the Florida Tech Panthers (17-8, 3-4 SSC), 12-5. 

Nikko Echevarria (Jr., Abqaib, Saudi Arabia) had a solid outing, going 2-for-4 with two runs. Areo Regoli(Jr., Homestead, Fla.) went 2-for-5 with a RBI while Anthony Angulo (Jr., Homestead, Fla.) and Luis Penate (Sr., Miami, Fla.) both went 2-for-4. Angulo also added his eighth RBI of the season.

Isaac Hicks (Sr., Ft. Myers, Fla.) (3-2) picked up his second loss of the season by allowing six earned runs over five innings, despite striking out four batters. Mauricio Rodriguez (Jr., Miami, Fla.) pitched well in relief as he did not allow an earned run over 2.1 innings while striking out four batters.

Hicks got into early trouble at the start of the game as he allowed a single run in the first inning. NSU tied the game in the second on two doubles. Daniel Petitbon (Jr., Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) hit a one-out double down the left field line for his team’s first hit. Angulo earned his only RBI by driving the ball to left field for a stand up double.

The Sharks took a 3-1 lead with their most productive inning in the third. Echevarria led-off with a double to right field while Asuaje followed by drawing a walk. Penate advanced the runners into scoring position with a sacrifice bunt before Regoli plated them both on a single through the left side. It was Regoli’s team-high 26th RBI.

Florida Tech took over the game in the middle innings by scoring five runs in the fifth inning and three runs in the sixth. The Sharks attempted to rally numerous times but could only score one run in both the sixth and ninth frames. In the sixth, Andrew Durden (Sr., Port St. Lucie, Fla.) reached base on an error by the second baseman and eventually scored off an error at third base.

After the Panthers scored three more in the ninth, Echevarria hit a leadoff single up the middle before advancing on a two-out single through the left side by Regoli. On the play, the centerfielder committed an error which allowed Echevarria to score the team’s final run.

The Sharks will look to pick up two wins and take the series against the Panthers Saturday, March 19 at the NSU Baseball Complex. First pitch of the doubleheader is slated for 1 p.m.