GAME ONE BOX | GAME TWO BOX
ST. LEO, Fla. – The Nova Southeastern softball team (25-18, 8-7 SSC) picked up two more wins over Saint Leo (17-25, 2-10 SSC) Sunday at the University Softball Stadium to complete the series sweep of the Lions. NSU needed a three-run homerun by
Laura Saladrigas (Jr., Hollywood, Fla.) to come from behind to win game one, 4-3, and then slapped nine hits in a 7-0 victory in game two.
Game One Recap
Saladrigas hit her 11th homer of the season, while
Katie Kelton (Sr., Pembroke Pines, Fla.) went 3-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored to help lead NSU past Saint Leo, 4-3, in game one Sunday.
The first inning brought a trio of runs, one for the Sharks and two for the Lions.
Jaimee Vega (Jr., Loxahatchee, Fla.) was the first player to cross plate, scoring on a Kelton single.
Saint Leo came back in the bottom half of the inning with a pair of unearned runs to take the lead, 2-1. Brittany Yates and Rachelle Gremo were credited with the RBI for the Lions.
The score remained unchanged through the next three innings, before each team scored again in the fifth.
Lorena Spaulding (Fr., Pembroke Pines, Fla.) led the inning off with a walk and two batters later, Kelton bunt singled to put two base runners aboard as Saladrigas stepped to the plate. With the count 1-0, Saladrigas drilled her third homerun of the series, this one over the left field wall to clear the bases and give NSU a 4-2 advantage.
Yates came back in the Lions’ half of the fifth with another RBI, scoring Angela Kafalas. It would be the final tally of the game for Saint Leo, as the Sharks held off the Lions for a 4-3 victory, improving to .500 in SSC play at 7-7.
Sara DeMuth (Sr., Plant City, Fla.) improved to 18-14 on the season, picking up her fourth win of the week. DeMuth struck out five and allowed only one earned run in the game. DeMuth, who now has 34 starts and 28 complete games this season, moves into a tie in those categories with Lexi Sarradet for the most in a single season in program history.
Game Two Recap
Vega and Kelton each recorded multiple hits, while Saladrigas allowed only three hits without giving up a run to capture a 7-0 win in the final game of the three-game series against Saint Leo. Saladrigas is now 6-4 in the circle this season for NSU.
The Sharks mimicked the start of the first game, scoring a run in the top of the first inning.
Michelle Sarradet (Fr., Miami, Fla.), who came in to pinch run for Spaulding, raced home to score on a wild pitch from Kristen Kelly, Saint Leo’s starting pitcher.
Saladrigas would keep the Lions off the scoreboard in the bottom half of the inning, striking out the three and four hitters in the Saint Leo lineup to end the inning, stranding a base runner on third.
After a scoreless second inning, the Sharks would add three more runs to their tally. Spicola opened the inning with a walk, which was followed with Sarradet reaching on a Lions’ error. Vega then provided a sacrifice bunt to move both Sharks over one base before Kelton knocked a hit through the left side to score Spicola. Two batters later,
Chelsea Emery (Jr., Eustis, Fla.) drove home Sarradet with a sacrifice fly to right field.
Gina Bondarenko (So.,Pembroke Pines, Fla.) registered the third RBI of the inning for NSU, singling through the left side to plate Kelton.
The Sharks added to the lead in the fifth inning, as DeMuth and Raven Sepulveda (Fr., Tampa, Fla.) each earned a RBI. DeMuth was able to bring around Saladrigas with single through the right side of the infield, after which, Sepulveda hit a sacrifice fly to left field to score
Marissa Raimo (Jr., Hampton Bays, Fla.).
Saladrigas provided the Sharks’ seventh run of the game with an RBI single in the sixth that scored Vega from second.
In the circle, Saladrigas worked efficiently, throwing 94 pitches without allowing a Lions’ base runner past second base after the opening inning. Katie Kelton finished the doubleheader going 5-for-7 with two RBI and two runs scored, while playing stellar defense in centerfield for the Sharks.
It is a quick turnaround for NSU, as they will head to West Palm Beach, Fla. Monday for a doubleheader against Palm Beach Atlantic. The Sharks and Sailfish met less than a week ago on March 27 at the AD Griffin Sports Complex, with the Sharks taking both games by a score of 2-1. Those two losses were part of a seven-game losing streak for PBA, as Barry and Florida Southern each also swept the Sailfish in doubleheaders this week.
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