Box Score 1 |
Box Score 2 BOX SCORE vs CSUB | BOX SCORE vs MSU
TUCSON, Ariz. – The Nova Southeastern University softball team (9-6) dropped both of its games in the Bronze Bracket on the final day of the NFCA Division II Leadoff Classic. The Sharks entered bracket play on Sunday as the number one seed in the bracket.
In the first round of bracket play, the Sharks fell to the Cal State San Bernardino Coyotes (4-7) by a score of 6-0 and then dropped the third-place game 11-7 to the No. 6 Minnesota State Mavericks (2-4).
Laura Saladrigas (Sr., Hollywood, Fla.) made her way into the record books again, hitting career home run No. 22, the most in a career by a Shark. Saladrigas hit .500 with a 1.333 slugging percentage and recorded two RBI on the day.
Samira Tanaka (Jr., Sao Paulo, Brazil) also had a solid hitting day for the Sharks, going 3-for-7 and bringing in a run.
GAME ONE AGAINST CSUB
The Coyotes handed the Sharks its worst loss of the season, holding NSU to just three hits in their first shutout loss of the year.
CSUB outhit the Sharks seven to three, scoring four of its six runs in the first three innings, too much for NSU to come back from.
Lorena Spaulding (So., Pembroke Pines, Fla.),
Ashley Silveira (Sr., Miami, Fla.) and Saladrigas each recorded a hit during the early game on Sunday.
GAME TWO VS MSU
The game against the Mavericks was back-and-forth throughout all seven innings. However, NSU could not overcome the four-run fifth inning by the Mavericks.
The high-scoring affair began in the first two innings, where the Mavericks where able to open up a 2-0 lead. The Sharks got on the board in the top of the third, when
Marissa Raimo (Sr., Hampton Bays, Fla.) scored from second, after the speedy Spaulding forced a throwing error over first base from the CSUB second baseman. During the next at-bat,
Samira Tanaka's (Jr., Sao Paulo, Brazil) base hit into left-center field allowed Spaulding to cross home plate standing up, tying the game at 2-2.
The Mavericks regained the lead in the top of the third, scoring two runs on three hits. The Sharks offense stayed strong, scoring two more runs in the top of the fourth. Saladrigas started the inning off with a stand-up double, followed by a well-hit ball from Silveira to force an error from the shortstop, bringing Saladrigas home. Later in the inning,
Melanie Spicola (Jr., Umatilla, Fla.), smacked a ball up the middle, to get pinch runner
Elizabeth Spring (Fr., West Palm Beach, Fla.) hom, evening the game at 4-4.
NSU had a short-lived lead in the top of the fifth, after the record-breaking two-run home run from Saladrigas, giving the Sharks a 6-5 advantage. But the Mavericks pulled away with a big four-run bottom half, followed by two more runs in the sixth.
On the weekend, Saladrigas led the team with five RBI, while Spicola boasted a team-high .462 batting average. Tanaka led the team on the defensive side, recording 13 assists during the tournament.
The Sharks finally come home to play at the AD Griffin Sports Complex, Friday, Feb. 22, taking on Lynn in a non-conference doubleheader. First pitch is slated for 5 p.m.
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