FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – The Nova Southeastern University softball team (22-17, 4-11 SSC) will look to finish the final three Sunshine State Conference series without a hiccup as the Sharks will tackle the Saint Leo Lions (20-22, 4-8 SSC), beginning with a doubleheader on Saturday, April 9 at 5 p.m. They will conclude the series with a single game on Sunday at 1 p.m. at the AD Griffin Sports Complex.

 

This series will be no easy task for the Sharks as NSU is riding a six-game losing streak and face a Saint Leo team whose capabilities of success coming in daily spurts.

 

Sophomore Laura Saladrigas (Hollywood, Fla.) paces the team at the plate with a .360 batting average and a .558 slugging percentage. The utility player, who has seen nearly every spot on the field, has doubled all Sharks in RBI with 33, tying Saint Leo’s Sarah Boyd for third in the conference.

 

Senior Rachel Talenfeld (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) also troubles opponents with a .356 batting average. The speedy slapper leads NSU with 42 hits and a team leading .454 on-base percentage. With 21 walks, Talenfeld also sits atop the Shark standings with 28 runs scored and 18 stolen bases.

 

Junior Sara DeMuth (Plant City, Fla.) continues to be a force on the mound with a 1.92 earned run average but a lack of run support holds DeMuth to a 9-9 record with 113 strikeouts.

 

Also packing in the strikeouts is senior Lexi Sarradet (Miami, Fla.). The righty has 546 for her career and is just 52 shy of owning the NSU strikeout record, which has been held since 2002 by Jennifer Ridenoure.

 

The Lions have had some big wins this season including a win against then No. 10 Tampa, 4-3, on March 26.

 

Elysha Agen is sixth in the SSC with a .403 batting average and leads the Lions with 13 doubles. Both Brittany Yates and Boyd have driven in over 30 with 31 and 33, respectively.

 

The Lions have utilized four different pitchers over the course of the year with Kristen Kelly holding the lowest ERA at 2.11. Megan Still has recorded the most wins at nine, leading the way with the most innings (98.1) and strikeouts (57). As a team, the Lions hold their opponents to 2.88 earned runs per game.

 

Saint Leo has over 30 more stolen bases then all the other SSC teams with 86, with NSU next in line at 51.

 

This will be the 40th meeting between the two teams with Saint Leo holding the slight advantage over NSU, 21-18.

 

In the last meeting in the Eckerd College Triton Spring Invitational, the Sharks scored five runs but their defense was the winning reason against the Saint Leo Lions in a 5-3 victory.

Sarradet hurled a complete game, allowing six hits, walking five and striking out two. She was credited for all three runs.

Kelly for Saint Leo was held to 4.0 innings, giving seven hits and only striking out two.

Saladrigas was the Sharks' offensive MVP going 3-for-4 and driving in three.

The Sharks will partner up with the American Cancer Society and the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) on Sunday, April 10 at 1 p.m. for its Annual Strikeout Cancer Event for the final game against Saint Leo.

The StrikeOut Cancer program is an initiative of the American Cancer Society and the National Fastpitch Coaches Association to help fight cancer by leveraging the personal experience, community leadership and professional excellence of fastpitch softball coaches nationwide. Coaches across the country work to increase cancer education and promote healthy living through awareness efforts, fundraising activities, and advocacy programs. StrikeOut Cancer provides critical mission outreach, while raising funds in support of the society’s lifesaving efforts to eliminate cancer as a life threatening disease.

Fans, even though admission is free, are asked to donate several dollars when they walk through the gate, with the funds donated to the fight against cancer.

The fans at the NSU softballl game will receive a pink T-shirt to support Breast Cancer Awareness. Prizes will also be given throughout the game.

CA Tolchinsky is one of NSU’s own that has been affected with breast cancer. She is the Manager of Student-Athlete Academic Services and will be throwing out the first pitch. Unfortunately breast cancer is a very familiar subject within her family. In 1988, her mom died at age 56 from breast cancer. On December 31, 2010, her only aunt, Aunt Gerry, died from breast cancer. She was 79. Just this past August, her sister was diagnosed with breast cancer and underwent a bi-lateral mastectomy. Ironically, Tochinsky was diagnosed only one month later with breast cancer and had surgery in February and will start chemo shortly.

She is only 45 years old, the mother of 2 young children, and like so many women, has had to battle this disease head on.

All being treated for cancer or cancer survivors are encouraged to attend Sunday’s event to be acknowledged. Please email Adam Tsakonas, NSU’s Marketing Coordinator, at at507@nova.edu or call him at 954-262-1599 if you are planning to attend Sunday’s event.

 

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.

 

Live video (Click HERE) and live stats (Click HERE) will be available for the first game of the series. Also follow NSU Softball on Twitter through www.twitter.com/NSU_Softball.