BOX SCORE

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – The Nova Southeastern baseball team (24-13, 11-5 SSC) took the first game of a weekend series in Saint Leo, Fla. Friday night as the Sharks defeated the Saint Leo Lions (13-23, 2-11 SSC), 11-2.

Two Shark hitters had career nights as Carlos Asuaje (Fr., Weston, Fla.) and Haven Fitzsimmonds (Sr., Loxahatchee, Fla.) helped the Sharks cruise to victory. After almost a month away from the team, Fitzsimmonds hit a perfect 5-for-5 with a run and two RBI. In his first at bat, he posted his team’s first hit and run on a solo homer to left centerfield in the second inning. It was his second home run of the season. Fitzsimmonds would fall a triple short of the cycle.

Asuaje was on point as well as he went 4-for-6 with one run and a career-high five RBI. Asuaje started late as he flew out in his first two at bats before collecting an RBI hit in every following at bat. Asuaje was a home run short of the cycle. Nikko Echevarria (Jr., Abqaib, Saudi Arabia) also played well and scored three runs over his first three at bats. He went 1-for-2 at the plate with a game-high three walks.

Isaac Hicks (Sr., Fort Myers, Fla.) (5-2) had one of his best outings of the season as he struck out a season-high tying seven batters, falling one K short of his career-high. He pitched 7.1 innings and held the Lions to two earned runs. Torey Ekey (Sr., Merritt Island, Fla.) and Ralph Pena (So., Miami, Fla.) finished the game without allowing a hit or a run.

Fitzsimmonds’ home run gave the Sharks a lead they would never give up. The Sharks tacked on another run in the third when Echevarria walked and scored on Luis Penate’s (Sr., Miami, Fla.) RBI single through the left side. After Saint Leo scored a run in the third, the Sharks answered back in the fifth as Echevarria hit a one-out triple before scoring on Asuaje’s RBI double to right centerfield.

The Sharks carried their 3-1 lead into the seventh inning when they blew the Lions away with four runs. Echevarria started the rally with a walk before Asuaje hit his first career triple to centerfield. Daniel Petitbon (Jr., Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) and Andrew Durden (Sr., Port St. Lucie, Fla.) followed up with back-to-back RBI doubles. Fitzsimmonds wrapped up the inning by plating Durden on a single to right centerfield.

After the Lions scored for the last time in the eighth, NSU closed the game with three runs in the final inning. Fitzsimmonds started the rally with a single through the right side before Saint Leo put three straight runners on base, forcing one home. Asuaje passed his career-high in RBI in the next at bat as he hit a two run single up the middle to put the Sharks up by nine runs.

Eight out of nine starters either scored or drove in a run in the Sharks’ 11th win in Sunshine State Conference play.

The Sharks will conclude their weekend series Saturday, April 16 in Saint Leo, Fla. with a doubleheader beginning at 1 p.m.