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FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – The Nova Southeastern baseball team (17-5) will take a break from Sunshine State Conference play Wednesday when the Sharks host the Ave Maria Gyrenes (17-23) at the NSU Baseball Complex at 6 p.m.
The Sharks enter the weekend after winning a three-game series over the Eckerd Tritons this past weekend, 2-1. The series win was not an easy one, as the Sharks trailed for most of Saturday’s doubleheader. After dismantling Eckerd ace Joey Cuda to win, 11-2, Friday, the Sharks were shocked in the doubleheader opener, 3-2. In the series-deciding game, the Sharks trailed by five runs with just two innings of regulation remaining. The Sharks were able to tie the game to force an extra inning, in which
Daniel Petitbon (Sr., Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) drove home the winning run.
Despite going 3-1 in a week in which the Sharks averaged almost 10 runs a game, the national polls were not kind to NSU. The Collegiate Baseball Newspaper coaches poll dropped NSU to 30th overall, despite ranking 18 teams with more losses higher. The National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association decided the Sharks’ one loss outweighed their three wins, and dropped them out of the national rankings completely.
On the other hand, College Baseball Lineup has been impressed by the Sharks’ offensive output. After placing the Sharks 16th last week, CBL moved the Sharks into the national top-15 at 13th overall. CBL holds South Region teams in high regard, as four of their top-five and five of their top-seven teams are from the SSC or the Gulf South Conference.
Although CBL described the Sharks’ game against Ave Maria as, “dining on a cupcake.” However, the Gyrenes have not rolled over for many teams this year. In their most recent outing, they blew out an Eckerd team that gave the Sharks trouble, winning 8-2. The Gyrenes have also won games against Taylor, the 25th-ranked team in NAIA, and played an extra-innings game against Palm Beach Atlantic.
The Sharks last faced Ave Maria two seasons ago on April 6, 2010. The Sharks narrowly escaped with a 3-2 win thanks to a walk-off home run from former first baseman Dusty Maggs.
The game will serve as the appetizer for the main course for Shark fans, a weekend series against South Florida rival Barry. The Sharks are 1-1 against the Bucs so far this year in two close battles.
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