GAME ONE BOX SCORE | GAME TWO BOX SCORE

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – The Nova Southeastern baseball team (29-14) split a road doubleheader Saturday in Lake Worth, Fla. against the Palm Beach Atlantic Sailfish (24-20). The Sharks dropped the first game, 7-6, but rebounded with a win in the second game, 10-0.

In the Sharks’ win in the backend of the doubleheader, Sean Tighe (Sr., Hobe Sound, Fla.) pitched his third complete game of the season as he held the Sailfish to three hits over seven innings. Tighe struck out a career-high 11 batters in the contest, five of which came in the last two innings. Tighe has now struck out at least nine batters in his last three starts.

Luis Penate (Sr., Miami, Fla.) had a big game as he went 3-for-4 with a season-high four RBI. Carlos Asuaje (Fr., Weston, Fla.), Areo Regoli (Jr., Homestead, Fla.) and Dusty Maggs (Sr., Satellite Beach, Fla.) each scored two runs while hitting a combined 7-for-11 in the game.

After a disappointing loss, the Sharks jumped on the Sailfish in the second inning as they scored their first three runs. Regoli led-off the frame by drawing a walk. After recording his first of two stolen bases, Regoli was plated on a single through the right side by Maggs. Ray Navarro (Jr., Miami, Fla.) followed up with a single to right field before Asuaje drew a walk to load the bases. Penate took advantage of the situation with a two-run single up the middle to put his team up by three.

The Sharks added another run in the fourth as Asuaje reached on a single to right centerfield and eventually scored on a wild pitch. NSU blew away the Sailfish in the fifth as they scored four runs in their most productive inning of the day. Maggs, Michael Hartley (Sr., Davie, Fla.) and Penate all picked up RBI in the frame while Maggs scored on an error.

NSU poured two more insurance runs on in the seventh and final inning. Navarro kicked off the frame by reaching on an error by the pitcher before Asuaje hit a double down the left field line. Navarro would score on a sacrifice fly by Penate for his second run of the game. Sharad Johnson (Sr., Nassau, Bahamas) entered the game to pinch hit and belted a single to right field that sent Asuaje home, putting the Sharks up by double digits.

Tighe ended the game by picking up three strikeouts in the seventh, passing his previous career-high and sealing the Sharks’ 29th win.

NSU started the day with its second one-run loss to PBA this season. The Sharks had 10 hits in the game but left 12 runners on base. The day after picking up his third win of the season, Torey Ekey (Sr., Merritt Island, Fla.) (3-2) recorded the loss in relief despite holding the Sailfish to three hits over two innings pitched. The appearance was Ekey’s SSC-leading 23rd of the season.

The Sharks started the day playing well as they scored two runs in each of the first two innings. In the first, the Sailfish drew two quick outs before putting Daniel Petitbon (Jr., Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) on base on a hit by pitch. Andrew Durden (Sr., Port St. Lucie, Fla.) made the home team pay by blasting a home run past left field. The homer was Durden’s team-high 12th of the season.

In the second, the Sharks doubled their lead as Anthony Angulo (Jr., Homestead, Fla.) led-off by reaching base on an error. Blake Boyd (So., Jupiter, Fla.) followed up with a double down the left field line, the second extra-base hit of his career. Petitbon plated both base runners with a RBI single to left field. NSU would go scoreless over the next four innings.

Palm Beach Atlantic erased its deficit and took a one-run lead, scoring three runs in the fifth inning and two more in the sixth. The Sharks took back the lead in the seventh on a rally that started on two walks for Regoli and Angulo. Boyd hit a single to left field but Regoli was called out at the plate on a great throw from PBA’s Brooks Fleming. With two outs, Asuaje popped the ball into right field but the fielder dropped the ball. The error allowed two runners to score as the Sharks took a 6-5 lead.

The Sharks fell behind as PBA tied the game in the bottom of the seventh inning and took a one-run lead in eighth. The Sharks had the tying run on second base in the ninth inning but could not bring him home as the game ended on a double play. The Sharks committed four errors in their 14th loss of the season.

The Sharks will return to Sunshine State Conference play this Friday, April 29 as they host Florida Southern at 6 p.m.

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