BOX SCORE | PHOTO GALLERY

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – The Nova Southeastern University softball team (24-18, 6-12 SSC) won the series against the Saint Leo Lions (21-24, 5-10 SSC) as Lexi Sarradet (Sr., Miami, Fla.) struck out seven in the Sharks StrikeOut Cancer event in a 2-0 win Sunday afternoon at the AD Griffin Sports Complex.

 

Prior to starting the game, the Sharks honored three women who are currently battling breast cancer. Myrna Alvarez, grandmother of Gianni Artidiello, Eve Kelton, mother of Katie Kelton and NSU’s own C.A. Tolchinsky, manager of Student-Athlete Services, were welcomed on the field as the softball team honored them with roses.

 

The Sharks looked to secure a win with the same fight and drive that these three women have on a daily basis, and NSU did just that.

 

Sarradet (9-4) once again was the rock on the mound as she tossed a complete game, only allowing three hits on the day. The righty struck out seven en route to her 66th career win, now tying her for second on NSU’s all-time win list with former teammate Dani Caron (2007-10).

 

The Lions never reached past second at any point of the game, giving the Sharks some wiggle room at the plate.

 

Wiggle room or not, the Sharks knew they had to fight and battle and were successful in the very first inning.

 

Senior Rachel Talenfeld (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) singled right in front of home plate to get the first hit of the game for NSU. Unfortunately, the Sharks had to rally with two outs and nobody on after Talenfeld was called out for leaving early. Laura Saladrigas (So., Hollywood, Fla.) drilled a single up the middle and stole second to put herself in scoring position for the cleanup hitter, Gina Bondarenko (Fr., Pembroke Pines, Fla.)

 

Bondarenko, who is second on the team in RBI behind Saladrigas, hit one right down the left field line, driving home Saladrigas as Nova Southeastern took a 1-0 lead.

 

With the game still tight, the Sharks added an insurance run in the fourth. After Brittany Phillips (Sr., Seminole, Fla.) reached on a fielder’s choice, junior Sara DeMuth (Plant City, Fla.) hit a shot off the right centerfield wall for one of her two hits on the day. Head coach Lesa Bonee waved Phillips home from first as Phillips slid around the tag and NSU found themselves with a 2-0 lead.

 

NSU tallied eight hits in the game as they moved a spot up in the Sunshine State Conference standings with the series win over the Lions.

 

The Sharks will have two regional games on Friday, April 15 as Palm Beach Atlantic will travel to the AD Griffin Sports Complex for a doubleheader beginning at 6 p.m.

 

For the game results, be sure to check www.NSUSharks.com or sign up to have results sent directly to your cell phone by signing up for SMS text messages by clicking here. For the weekly NSU Shark Athletic news, please sign up for the Shark Alert E-Newsletter by clicking here.