GAME 1 BOX SCORE | GAME 2 BOX SCORE

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – The Nova Southeastern baseball team (17-8, 4-2 SSC) earned one of the biggest wins in program history Saturday at the NSU Baseball Complex by blowing away the Florida Tech Panthers (17-10, 3-6), 23-1. They would pick up the second game, 6-3, to clinch the weekend series victory, 2-1.

In the first game, the Sharks won by a total of 22 runs, the largest score difference in program history. The Sharks’ 23 runs are the most the program has ever scored in a Sunshine State Conference game and the most since 2003.

Nick Avila (Sr., Pembroke Pines, Fla.) (3-0) pitched the best game of any Shark this season as he threw a complete game one-hitter. Other than a solo home run given up in the third inning, Avila was almost flawless as he only allowed two walks, both of which came in the fifth inning. Avila collected a season-high six strikeouts in the game and retired 28-of-31 batters faced.

The game brings Avila’s ERA to a team-best 3.08 over 38 innings pitched. He has collected 27 K’s and held opposing batters to a .266 average.

The Sharks got off to a fast start as they scored four runs in the first inning, five runs in the second, and three more in the third. NSU would tack on a run in the fourth before scoring another four in the fifth. NSU finished its record breaking game with five runs over the last two frames.

The Sharks picked up 22 hits in the game as every starter had at least one. The Sharks scored their runs by playing small ball as they only recorded three extra base hits, all of which were doubles. The scoring was spread out as 14 different players recorded at least one RBI and 11 different players crossed the plate. 

Carlos Asuaje (Fr., Weston, Fla.) went 4-for-7 with five runs and two RBI. Dusty Maggs (Sr., Satellite Beach, Fla.) and Andrew Durden (Sr., Port St. Lucie, Fla.) each picked up a team-high three RBI. Maggs went 2-for-4 with two runs while Durden went 1-for-3 with two runs. Areo Regoli (Jr., Homestead, Fla.) scored a team-best three runs while batting 1-for-3 with an RBI.

Haven Fitzsimmonds (Sr., Loxahatchee, Fla.), Blake Boyd (So., Jupiter, Fla.), Anthony Angulo (Jr., Homestead, Fla.) and Scott Woodrey (Jr., Lighthouse Point, Fla.) wrapped up the six batters with multiple hits. Fitzsimmonds went 2-for-4 with a run while Boyd went 2-for-5 with two runs and one RBI. Angulo went 2-for-3 with two RBI and a run while Woodrey came off the bench to go 2-for-3 with an RBI.

The Sharks were walked nine times in the game with Regoli, Luis Penate (Sr., Miami, Fla.), and Daniel Petitbon (Jr., Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) collecting two each. Penate went 1-for-2 with two runs and a RBI and Petitbon finished 1-for-2 with two RBI and two runs.

The Sharks picked up the weekend series win by taking down the Panthers in a much more competitive final game. Sean Tighe (Jr., Hobe Sound, Fla.) had one of his best outings of the season as he only allowed two earned runs over five innings pitched with six strikeouts. Torey Ekey (Sr., Merritt Island, Fla.) and Sean Albury (Sr., Nassau, Bahamas) finished the seven-inning game by combining for two shutout innings without giving up a hit. Albury picked up his sixth save of the season.

Asuaje and Durden led the offense as they both went 2-for-3 with a run. Asuaje recorded one RBI while Durden picked up two. Eight out of nine starters for NSU reached base in the contest.

After falling by a whopping 22 runs, Florida Tech came out and put two runs on the board in the first. The Sharks evened the score with two runs in the bottom of the frame. Penate earned his team’s first hit with a double to left centerfield and was plated on a single through the right side from Regoli. Petitbon and Durden would reach base without a hit over the next two at bats before Maggs picked up his only RBI by drawing a bases-loaded walk.

After the Panthers retook the lead with one run in the second inning, the Sharks bounced back with one run in both the second and third frames. Boyd led-off the second with a single to right field and advanced to third on an error. Asuaje sent him home with a double to right centerfield. In the third, Durden led-off with an infield single and eventually scored off Angulo’s groundout to third that almost turned into a double play.

The Sharks held Florida Tech scoreless over the final five innings and scored their final two runs in the fourth. Asuaje reached base on a walk before Petitbon reached by taking a pitch to the leg. With two outs, Durden scored both runners with a single to left centerfield.

The Sharks only left one runner on base over their final two scoreless innings but went to the bullpen for the first time all day in the sixth to secure the win. Ekey and Albury combined for three strikeouts to win the game.

The Sharks will take a week off before traveling to Winter Park, Fla. to face Rollins in a weekend series beginning Saturday, March 26 at 1 p.m.