BOX SCORE

TAMPA, Fla. – The Nova Southeastern baseball team (35-15) took a final loss to the No. 9 Delta State Statesman (43-13), 8-5, Sunday at the UT Baseball Field. The Sharks end their season after a repeat trip to the NCAA South Region Tournament, where the Sharks went 2-2.

“It was a good year for the Sharks that built on the success of the 2011 campaign,” said head coach Greg Brown. “Although we finished in the same part of the tournament that we had in the previous year, I feel we definitely progressed towards being in position to taking the South Region title home. I feel that we peaked in the tournament and played some of our best baseball of the year. We have nothing to hang our heads about.

“This group of seniors has set the bar higher for the next generation of Sharks and I believe that our program is headed in the right direction. “

In his final collegiate game, Areo Regoli (Sr., Homestead, Fla.), tied the record for home runs in a single season, hitting his 17th home run of the season in the first inning. Regoli sailed the ball over left field on the first strike thrown to him, giving the Sharks a 1-0 lead. Regoli ties Bryan Cook (2008) and Ed Mackie (1993) for the NSU record.

“I knew I hit it well, and even when it went over the wall, I didn’t realize what I had done,” said Regoli. “It didn’t set in until my coaches and teammates congratulated me. It feels great to be at the top of a category and be tied with hitters like Cook and Mackie.”

Blake Boyd (Jr., Jupiter, Fla.) continued to have a solid tournament for the Sharks, going 2-for-3 in the game. Eric Acevedo (Jr., Miami, Fla.) went 1-for-3 in the game with two RBI. Shane Hill (Jr., Davie, Fla.) started and did not receive the decision. He held the Statesmen to six hits and two earned runs over the first five innings.

After the Sharks’ took the lead off of Regoli’s home run, the Sharks extended their lead with another run in the third inning. Brett Clements (Jr., Riverview, Fla.) drew a leadoff walk and scored from second base on a single through the left side by Nikko Echevarria (Sr., Abqaib, Saudi Arabia).

The Statesmen tied the game and took the lead with a run in the fourth inning and two more in the sixth. Down by a run, the Sharks reestablished their two-run lead with three in the bottom of the sixth. After two quick outs, Javi Sujo (Sr., Miami, Fla.) drew a four-pitch walk. Alex Marrero (Jr., Miami, Fla.) would plate the senior and tie the game on a single to right field. Daniel Petitbon (Sr., Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) followed up with a walk and Acevedo drove both runners home on a double down the left field line.

The Sharks lost their two–run lead immediately, allowing three runs in the seventh inning. The Sharks had chances to answer back late, but did not score over the last few frames. NSU had the tying run on third base in both the seventh and the eighth innings. In the ninth, Delta State posted their final two runs to put the score out of reach.

Seniors Mauricio Rodriguez (Miami, Fla.) and Sean Tighe (Hobe Sound, Fla.) finished their careers by combining to pitch the last three innings, giving up just three hits.

The game ended another landmark season for the NSU baseball team. The Sharks won thirty games for the eighth straight season, a streak that covers two head coaches. The Sharks repeated a trip to the postseason for the first time in program history. The Sharks will make a run at a third appearance in 2013 and could return six of the ten starters from Sunday’s game.

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