AASU BOX SCORE|CSU BOX SCORE
COLUMBUS, Ga. – The Nova Southeastern softball team (10-10) lost its first two games of the Cougar Classic, falling in its rain-delayed opener to No. 12 Armstrong Atlantic State, 7-3, and then to host Columbus State, 6-0.
Armstrong Atlantic State Recap
NSU got homeruns from
Raven Sepulveda (Fr., Tampa, Fla.) and
Laura Saladrigas (Jr., Hollywood, Fla.), but gave up four runs in the bottom of the sixth inning, falling to Armstrong Atlantic State, 7-3. The opening contest of the Cougar Classic for the Sharks and Pirates was rain delayed for almost four hours.
Armstrong, serving as the home team, put two runs on the board in the first inning, as Alexis Mercer sent a pitch over the left field wall. The Sharks would stave off the Pirates until the fifth inning when they evened the game, 2-2.
Three pitches into the fifth, Sepulveda hit a shot over the left field wall for her first collegiate homerun and cutting the deficit in half for NSU. The Sharks would add another run playing small ball, with Katie Kelton (Sr., Pembroke Pines, Fla.) credited with the RBI, as pinch runner
Holly Roberson (So., Dunnellon, Fla.) raced home on the sacrifice bunt.
The Pirates responded in the bottom half of the inning, as Shelby Duff singled to center field to drive in a run. NSU came right back in the top of the sixth to knot the game at three. This time it was Saladrigras sending one over the outfield wall, her fifth of the season.
The tie would not last though, as the Pirates put four runs on the board in the next half inning. Brittany Cooley was credited with two of the RBI, while Duff added another to her total. The Sharks could not make up the lost ground in the seventh, falling by a score of 7-3.
Lorena Spaulding (Fr., Hollywood, Fla.) was the lone Shark with multiple hits, going 2-for-3 at the plate.
Sara DeMuth (Sr., Plant City, Fla.) registered eight strikeouts in the game, bringing her season tally up to 105, but she took the loss.
Columbus State Recap
Mollie Russell recorded 15 strikeouts, just two short of the Columbus State single-game record, to shutout the Sharks, 6-0. Saladrigas recorded six strikeouts of her own and allowed only two earned runs, but came up on the losing end in the Sharks second game of the Cougar Classic.
The Cougars scored first in the third inning, posting three runs. Taylor Turner counted as the first run scored, before Morgan Knight doubled to center field to bring home two more runs.
The Sharks had their best chance to score in the top of the sixth inning. Russell carried a no-hitter into the inning before
Melanie Spicola (Fr., Umatilla, Fla.) singled to third base for NSU’s first hit. Spaulding followed with the Sharks second hit of the game to put two runners on with one out. After a sacrifice bunt by Kelton and walk by
Jaimee Vega (Jr., Loxahatchee, Fla.), the Sharks had the bases loaded, but the Cougars got out of the inning with a ground out.
Turner doubled the CSU lead in the bottom of the sixth, with a three run homerun to left center. The Sharks were not able to get the offensive going again in the seventh and CSU took home a 6-0 victory.
The Sharks will be back in action tomorrow beginning at 11 a.m. against Lincoln Memorial, followed right after with a matchup against Young Harris.
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