BOX SCORE

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – The Nova Southeastern baseball team (28-13) started its weekend series on a good note at the NSU Baseball Complex as the Sharks defeated the Palm Beach Atlantic Sailfish (23-19) Friday night, 11-10.

Daniel Petitbon (Jr., Fort Lauderdale, Fla.), Haven Fitzsimmonds (Sr., Loxahatchee, Fla.) and Areo Regoli (Jr., Homestead, Fla.) all hit home runs to propel the Sharks to their first victory of the season over PBA. The trio drove in seven of the Sharks’ 11 runs within the first three innings. It was the second game in a row for NSU in which the two teams combined for seven home runs.

Torey Ekey (Sr., Merritt Island, Fla.) (3-1) picked up the win in relief as he pitched 2.1 innings and held the Sailfish to one earned run. Chris Roman (Sr., Kissimmee, Fla.) set up Sean Albury (Sr., Nassau, Bahamas) for his ninth save by striking out two batters in a shutout eighth inning. Albury picked up the save without allowing a hit in the ninth while picking up his 31st strikeout of the year.

PBA jumped on the Sharks first with two runs in the second inning. Fitzsimmonds would even the score with a two-run bomb in the bottom of the frame. Andrew Durden (Sr., Port St. Lucie, Fla.) led-off with a double to right centerfield. Fitzsimmonds followed up with his home run over right field for his third homer of the season. Over the last five games, Fitzsimmonds is batting .379 with seven RBI.

The Sailfish put a run on the board in the third inning but the Sharks would own the frame with five runs on two home runs. Blake Boyd (So., Jupiter, Fla.) and Luis Penate (Sr., Miami, Fla.) set up Petitbon’s home run by reaching on an error and hitting a single up the middle, respectively. Petitbon then hit what may be his longest home run of the season to left field, scoring three runs and putting the Sharks up, 5-3. Petitbon has hit a home run in the last three games.

After sitting out for four games, Regoli announced his return with a two-run homer in the third with two outs on the board. The home run plated Fitzsimmonds, who reached base on a fielder’s choice. It was his sixth home run of the season and brought his RBI total to 33.

PBA returned serve by tying the game with four runs in the fourth, all of which came on two home runs. The Sailfish would keep their momentum going, scoring one run in each of the next three frames. Trailing by two, the Sharks evened the score once again with two runs in the sixth. Regoli led-off the side with a single that bounced off of first base and advanced to third on two consecutive fly outs. After Boyd drew a walk, Carlos Asuaje (Fr., Weston, Fla.) hit the ball into the gap in left centerfield to drive in two runs. The freshman second baseman now has 32 RBI on the season.

After falling behind by a run once again, the Sharks took the lead in the seventh with their final two runs. Durden reached base on a single and Regoli drew a walk, setting up Maggs to drive in two runs. With two outs, Maggs drilled the ball out to centerfield to drive in the go-ahead run. The double brought Maggs’ RBI total to a team-high 34.

The Sharks left three runners on in the eighth inning but did not need the insurance runs as Roman and Albury went unscathed over the final two innings.

The Sharks will head north for the rest of the series as they play a doubleheader against PBA in Lake Worth, Fla. Saturday, April 23 at 1 p.m.

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