GAME ONE BOX | GAME TWO BOX
LAKELAND, Fla. – The No. 7 Nova Southeastern baseball team (27-8, 8-5 SSC) dropped two games of a doubleheader Saturday to the Florida Southern Mocs (23-17, 11-9 SSC) in Lakeland, Fla., sealing the Sharks’ first Sunshine State Conference series loss of the season. The Sharks dropped the first game in close fashion, 3-2, before falling in the seven-inning game, 9-1.
GAME ONE
The Sharks lost the first game of a weekend series for the first time this season, 3-2, despite having the tying run on third base in the ninth inning.
Zachary Westcott (So., Weston, Fla.) (8-1) had his nine-game undefeated streak come to an end Saturday, as he took his first loss of the season. Westcott threw six innings and gave up two earned runs while striking out two batters. Although he did not give up a walk, he allowed a season-high 12 hits in the contest.
Mauricio Rodriguez (Sr., Miami, Fla.) pitched well in relief, throwing two shutout innings while allowing one hit.
Westcott held the Mocs scoreless until the home team scored a run off an error in the fourth inning. The Sharks tied the game with a two-out rally in the fifth inning. At the bottom of the order,
Brett Clements (Jr., Riverview, Fla.) and
Blake Boyd (Jr., Jupiter, Fla.) reached base on two singles. With a runner in scoring position,
Carlos Asuaje (So., Weston, Fla.) recorded his team’s only RBI with a single to right centerfield.
Florida Southern turned the game back around, scoring two runs in the sixth inning. NSU would follow up their first run with three-straight scoreless frames. In the ninth inning, the Sharks rallied and nearly tied the game.
Daniel Petitbon (Sr., Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) and
Javi Sujo (Sr., Miami, Fla.) reached base to leadoff the inning with a hit by pitch and a walk, respectively.
Alex Marrero (Jr., Miami, Fla.) advanced the tying run into scoring position with a sacrifice bunt, which game the Sharks a chance to use
Angel Navarro (Fr., Miami Lakes, Fla.) as a pinch runner for Sujo.
After the Sharks posted another out on the board, Clements extended the inning by beating out a throw after a fielding error at second base. Petitbon brought the deficit to one run by scoring on the error. The rally and game would end on a groundout to the shortstop with Navarro stranded at third base.
Florida Southern’s Clay Chapman (4-3) earned the victory by pitching a complete game. He threw nearly 129 pitches and held the Sharks to six hits. The game took two days to complete, as the top of the first started Friday afternoon before the game was suspended due to inclement weather.
GAME TWO
The Sharks dropped the second game and clinched the series loss to the Mocs, 9-1, losing by a season-worst eight runs.
The Sharks fell into an early hole in the game, allowing five runs over the first two innings. The Sharks scored their only run in the second inning, recording two of the team’s three extra base hits in the game. Marrero put himself in scoring position with a double to right field and later scored off a double that just stayed fair down the left field line from
Ray Navarro (Sr., Miami, Fla.).
The Sharks would record a hit in four of the next five innings but the offense could not drive home runners. The Mocs posted a run in the fourth inning and put the Sharks’ deficit out of reach with three more runs in the sixth.
Ryan Woodrey (Fr., Lighthouse Point, Fla.) led off the seventh and final inning with a double to left centerfield, but was not advanced home.
Mike Gonzalez (Jr., Miami, Fla.) (3-1) took the same fate as Westcott and earned his first loss of the season. He allowed five earned runs on eight hits over 3.1 innings pitched. Westcott and Gonzalez’s ERA rose to 1.50 and 2.50, respectively.
The Sharks fell victim to great performances from Florida Southern starting pitchers. Nick Krolczyk (4-0) also pitched a complete game and held the Sharks to seven hits and one earned run.
Chris Morales (Jr., Miami, Fla.) was the only Shark to record multiple hits in the game, going 2-for-3 with two singles.
The Sharks will finish the series and try and avoid a sweep Sunday at noon in Lakeland, Fla.
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