GAME ONE BOX|GAME TWO BOX
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – Sara DeMuth (Sr., Plant City, Fla.) slammed a pair of homeruns and
Laura Saladrigas (Jr., Hollywood, Fla.) added another, as the Nova Southeastern softball team (20-15, 5-4 SSC) completed a three-game sweep of Eckerd (9-24, 1-5 SSC), winning both games in a doubleheader Saturday. The Sharks took game one in just five innings by a score of 16-0 and then followed it up with 6-1 triumph in game two.
GAME ONE BOX
The Sharks posted 11 runs in the fifth inning, seven of which came by way of a grand slam and a three-run homer off the bat of DeMuth, and NSU secured its second shutout of the weekend, 16-0.
NSU wasted no time scoring in opener, posting a pair of runs in the first inning. After back-to-back singles from
Jaimee Vega (Jr., Loxahatchee, Fla.) and
Katie Kelton (Sr., Pembroke Pines, Fla.), and steals from both,
Gina Bondarenko (So., Pembroke Pines, Fla.) sent a shot to right field that scored both.
The Sharks added another in the top of the second, and after a scoreless third, added two more in the fourth to push their lead to 5-0. Vega garnered credit for all three of those RBI.
The fifth inning proved to be the best in terms of offensive production this season for the Sharks, as 11 base runners crossed home safely. The first three NSU batters reached base safely, forcing a pitching change by the Tritons. The difference in hurler did little to phase DeMuth as she sent a rocket down the left field line for a grand slam and her first home run of the season.
Eckerd was able to get a pair of outs following the home run, but the Sharks were able to put together a seven-run rally to extend its advantage to 16-0. Vega knocked in
Melanie Spicola (Fr., Umatilla, Fla.) for her fourth RBI of the game to start the rally. Bondarenko followed with a single and RBI, before
Chelsea Emery’s (Jr., Eustis, Fla.) second double of the inning brought around two more.
With those two aboard, DeMuth stepped to the plate for the second time of the inning, and again she took a pitch over the wall, this time to dead center.
The Tritons were unable to score in the bottom half of the inning and with the Sharks up by more than eight the game ended.
DeMuth, as the starting pitcher, sat down seven batters, while allowing only three hits, to go with her two homers and seven RBI. Bondarenko ended the game with a trio of RBI and two runs scored, going 3-for-4 at the dish.
GAME TWO RECAP
The Sharks scored five runs in the final two innings and DeMuth secured her third win of the weekend, as NSU captured a 6-1 victory to complete the sweep of Eckerd Saturday.
The game opened with three scoreless innings before each team put up a run in the fourth inning. NSU scored the first run of the game, as Emery singled through the right side of the infield to plate Kelton.
Jessica Sudler responded for the Tritons, driving home Kayla Anders with a single to even the game at 1-1.
NSU broke the tie in the top of the sixth in with three runs. After DeMuth walked to open the inning, Saladrigas sent the first pitch she saw over the left center wall for the first two runs of the inning. Kelton earned the third RBI, singling to score Spicola.
Spicola, with a single, would add two more insurance runs in the top of the seventh to give the Sharks 6-1 lead. The Tritons would go down in the bottom half without scoring to ensure a sweep in favor of NSU.
Kelton finished the game a perfect 4-for-4 at the dish to go with her RBI. Spicola also batted 1.000, going 3-for-3 with two RBI and a run scored. DeMuth came on in relief in the fifth inning with the game tied and was credited with her third win of the weekend to improve to 14-11 on the season.
NSU will next be in action Friday, March 23 at the AD Griffin Sport Complex when it hosts Barry on “Strikeout Cancer Night”.
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