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Friday's baseball game against the Florida Tech Panthers has been postponed due to inclement weather. The game has been rescheduled for Sunday, March 11 at noon. Saturday's doubleheader is still scheduled to begin at noon. Check back with NSUSharks.com for further updates. 

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – The No. 25 Nova Southeastern baseball team (10-3) will begin Sunshine State Conference play on Saturday against the Florida Tech Panthers (12-7, 1-2) in Melbourne, Fla. with a doubleheader at noon. The Sharks will conclude a three-game series against the Panthers with a single game Sunday beginning at noon.

The Sharks will be looking to rebound from an ugly loss against undefeated Southern New Hampshire this past Tuesday, 14-8. The Sharks entered the game ranked in the national top-25 for the first time this season, but played one of their sloppiest games of the year. The Sharks recorded four errors and committed several misplays in the field. The game was decided in the sixth inning when the Penmen scored seven runs, six of which were unearned

The road does not get any easier for the Sharks, as they look to begin SSC play on a strong note. Florida Tech started the season 10-5 and was approaching a national ranking before the Panthers begin their conference schedule last week. The Panthers won their conference opener against Florida Southern, 7-6, but lost back-to-back games in a doubleheader to lose the series.

With home field advantage, the Panthers will be desperate to not fall into a deeper hole this early in the year. Last season, Florida Tech lost two of its first three conference series’ and was left on the outside looking in to the NCAA South Region Tournament. The home squad can’t afford to lose two straight series this year, as they travel to conference favorite Tampa next weekend.

The Sharks have just as much riding on this weekend’s series. Last year, the Sharks made their first appearance in a NCAA postseason tournament. This year, NSU has loftier goals of claiming the SSC championship outright. To do so, the Sharks will have to finish ahead of national powerhouse No. 2 Tampa. However, the Spartans left the passing lane open one week ago when they were upset in their SSC opening series against No. 9 Lynn, two games to one. A win this weekend will put the Sharks in the driver’s seat for a conference title, a guaranteed spot in the postseason and a chance at hosting the South Regional Tournament.

To accomplish this, the Sharks will have to beat a team that got the better of them in 2011. Although NSU won the conference series, 2-1, Florida Tech won the season series by winning two out of conference games. The Sharks went 0-2 last season at Andy Seminick-Les Hall Field. Both games went down to the wire and were up for grabs until the final pitch.

The Sharks are not alone in struggling at Andy Seminick-Les Hall Field, a park that has plagued many teams in recent years. Until late last season, visiting teams were forced to play all their games there during the day with limited shade at the stadium. The park is synonymous with being “a pitcher’s park.” No visiting team in 2012 has hit a home run at Andy Seminick-Les Hall Field, while Florida Tech went through their first 12 home games without hitting the ball out of the park. The Panthers only have one home run at home this year, coming from first baseman Scott Carcaise.

The series will represent the Sharks first trip away from the NSU Baseball Complex this season. All three of the Sharks’ scheduled away games heading into this series were cancelled.

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