FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – The Nova Southeastern softball team (9-6) finally play its home opener Friday, Feb. 22, a doubleheader, against the Lynn Fighting Knights (7-6), in a non-conference bout.
The Sharks enter Friday’s doubleheader coming off a 15-game road trip, including tournaments in Clearwater, Fla., where the team finished with a 4-1 record and finished in second place in the Eckerd Spring Invitational. The Sharks followed that with the Division II Leadoff Classic in Tucson, Ariz. In Arizona, the team beat the likes of No. 22 Abilene Christian, 5-3, and New Haven, 6-3. The team lost to nationally ranked teams in No. 14 Texas Woman’s, 4-1, and preseason-ranked No. 6 Minnesota State Mankato, 11-7. The team also dropped games to Grand Canyon, 6-2, who received 18 votes in the latest NFCA Top 25 Poll, and California State University San Bernardino, 6-0.
Jennie Von Doellen (Jr., Hudson Bay, Canada) (7-4), has started the season hot, striking out 65 batters, second in the Sunshine State Conference, in 73.1 innings pitched for the Sharks.
Melanie Spicola (So. Umatilla, Fla.) has lead the team in batting average the entire season, right now hitting .459, 100 points more than anyone else on the team.
The Fighting Knights are coming off a two-game sweep against Ave Maria Wednesday, Feb. 20, winning 8-0 in both games. Lynn also participated in the Eckerd College Spring Invitational, where they finished with a 3-2 record.
These two teams met at the end of last season in Boca Raton, Fla., where the Sharks swept the weekend series, outscoring Lynn 19-1, in three games. Sarah Demuth recorded 27 strikeouts in 17 innings en route to her 22nd win of the season. The last time the Sharks lost to the Fighting Knights was April 16, 2008, 8-3, in Boca Raton.
Based off of their recent performance at the Spring Invitational, the Sharks have received national attention, earning three votes in the latest NFCA poll.
The game will also be available via live video HERE live stats HERE. Follow the Sharks on Twitter at www.Twitter.com/NSUSharks.
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