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FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – The Nova Southeastern baseball team (17-8, 4-2 SSC) will play its first road Sunshine State Conference weekend series in Winter Park, Fla. as they face the Rollins College Tars (18-9, 1-2 SSC). The series begins with a doubleheader on Saturday, March 26 at 1 p.m. and concludes with a single game on Sunday, March 27 at 1 p.m.

The Sharks will enter the game after a week of rest following their series victory at home against Florida Tech. After dropping the Friday night game, 12-4, NSU bounced back by earning the most dominant victory in program history by winning, 23-1. It was the biggest point differential in program history and the most runs the Sharks have scored in a SSC game. NSU closed out the series with a 6-3 victory over the Panthers.

NSU has won eight of the last 10 games with three victories coming against nationally ranked top-10 teams. However the nations’ coaches and writers have taken little notice. When combining the National Collegiate Newspaper’s coaches poll and the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association poll, the Sharks have received a total of one vote. However, two Shark victims remain ranked nationally in both polls. Collegiate Baseball Lineup has ranked NSU 19th in the country.

Despite this, the most important item on NSU’s agenda is regional and conference victories. The Sharks have not lost a SSC series yet this season and hold a 4-2 record in the conference standings. In conference that has proven to be top-heavy, the Sharks will have to do more than just win two out of three games each weekend to win the SSC Championship. Barry (6-0 SSC) and Florida Southern (3-0 SSC) share the top spot in the standings as neither have dropped a SSC game all season.

A sweep on the road against Rollins will pay dividends for NSU as Florida Southern and Barry feast on the bottom two teams in the SSC preseason poll. Florida Southern hosts Eckerd (0-3 SSC) this weekend while Barry welcomes Saint Leo (1-5 SSC).The Tampa Spartans (4-2 SSC), who swept Lynn last weekend, will travel to Florida Tech (3-6 SSC) this weekend.

The Sharks have had plenty of success against Rollins as they are 12-6 against the Tars since joining the SSC. NSU has only lost two conference series against Rollins, both of which came in Winter Park, Fla. Last season, NSU hosted the Tars and swept them, winning each game by a single run.

Rollins’ pitchers have looked vulnerable this season as they hold a 4.56 ERA, the second lowest mark in the SSC. The Sharks will lean on offensive stars such as Luis Penate (Sr., Miami, Fla.), Andrew Durden (Sr., Port St. Lucie, Fla.) and Areo Regoli (Jr., Homestead, Fla.). Penate rides a 12-game hit streak into the weekend while Durden ranks 17th in the country with 1.25 runs scored per game. Regoli enters the weekend ranked third in the SSC with 28 RBI.

Fans can follow the Sharks this weekend via live audio HERE and live stats HERE. Fans can also follow Shark baseball through Twitter at www.Twitter.com/NSU_Baseball.