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FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – The 2011 season has been a year of firsts for the Nova Southeastern baseball team (33-16).

The first year under head coach Greg Brown. The first year to start off 5-0. The first year in which the Sharks won 17 games in the Sunshine State Conference. Finally, the first appearance in the NCAA postseason.

After a 12-day break, the Sharks will attempt to win their first NCAA South Region Championship. The road begins Thursday, May 19 against Barry at 8:45 p.m. ET.

The Sharks will be facing a common opponent in the Bucs as the two teams have played five times this season. The Sharks hold a 3-2 edge in a series that could have gone either way. After three games decided by two-runs or less, two of which were in extra innings, it is clear that these two teams will provide fans in Pensacola, Fla. a great show.

NSU fans can expect the Sharks to face Barry’s ace in Manny Rodriguez. Rodriguez has made one appearance against the Sharks on April 8, when Barry got the better of NSU in a 13-inning game, 4-3. Rodriguez did not pick up the win but pitched well, holding the Sharks to three runs on four hits while striking out seven batters. He was tagged up by Andrew Durden (Sr., Port St. Lucie, Fla.) and Dusty Maggs (Sr., Satellite Beach, Fla.), who each hit a home run off of Rodriguez.

Maggs has had great success against Barry this season, as the first baseman holds a .542 on-base percentage over five games against the Bucs. Areo Regoli (Jr., Homestead, Fla.) arguably has had the most success against the Barry this season. The right fielder has hit .444 over 18 at bats, collecting four runs and six RBI. His speed and power will be crucial to NSU’s success throughout the tournament.

Another storyline headed into the tournament will be how Durden wraps up his career at NSU. The centerfielder came to the Sharks as a senior but has still left his mark in the record books. Durden is two doubles and three home runs away from the single-season records. Guillermo Munoz hit 24 doubles in 1991 and has held the NSU record for 20 years. Former All-American Bryan Cook hit a school-record 17 home runs in 2008.

On the mound, Sean Albury (Sr., Nassau, Bahamas), who recently made All-SSC First-Team for the second straight year, will also be looking to become the first Shark ever to have 10 saves in two seasons. Senior starters Isaac Hicks (Sr., Fort Myers, Fla.) and Nick Avila (Sr., Pembroke Pines, Fla.) will also be looking to end their careers on a positive note.

The Sharks have played Barry five times this season, but the outcome of Thursday’s game will overshadow all other meetings between the teams. Both teams have traveled nearly 700 miles and both teams will be looking to prove they are the best in the South Region. Regardless of the outcome, fans in Pensacola will know who the Bucs and Sharks are after Thursday night.

Fans can follow the game via live audio HERE and live stats HERE. Follow NSU Baseball on Twitter at www.Twitter.com/NSU_Baseball.