Box Score 1 |
Box Score 2 BOX SCORE GAME ONE | BOX SCORE GAME TWO
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – The Nova Southeastern softball team (11-8) swept the Lakers of Mercyhurst (5-5) in stunning fashion Tuesday, Feb. 26 at the AD Griffin Sports Complex. The Sharks thumped the Lakers in game one, 10-2, in six innings, then won in thrilling fashion, 11-10, after trailing Mercyhurst in the third inning, 9-2.
The Sharks managed an amazing 21 runs on 28 hits on the night. The 21 runs for NSU were more than its combined total over the last seven games coming into Tuesday’s doubleheader.
Laura Saladrigas (Sr., Hollywood, Fla.) was huge at the plate, going 4-for-7 and bringing in four runners on two triples, giving her a 1.143 slugging percentage.
Melanie Spicola (So., Umatilla, Fla.) had four RBI of her own on three.
Lorena Spaulding (So., Pembroke Pines, Fla.) was nearly perfect in the doubleheader, going 6-for-7 with an RBI, while
Shelby Talon (Fr., Boynton Beach, Fla.) hit .600 with a .800 slugging percentage.
Jennie Von Doellen (Jr., Hudson Bay, Canada) (9-5) struck out 10 batters in 11.1 innings pitched, including seven strikeouts after coming into game two with the bases loaded and two outs in the top of the second, earning two more wins to her season record.
Game One
The game was quiet through the first three and a half innings before everything went the Sharks' way with a huge nine-run fourth.
After a quick out to start the inning, Talon got a free base after she was walked, then Saladrigas hit a routine grounder to the third baseman, who bobbled the ball then threw it away over the first baseman’s head. Saladrigas was able to move over to second on the error, while Talon reached home standing up.
Erika Garcia (Jr., Pembroke, Pines, Fla.) kept the pressure on by drilling a ball in the gap between first and second moving Saladrigas over to third. Pinch runner
Marissa Raimo (Sr., Hampton Bays, N.Y.), who was stealing second, forced an errant throw from the catcher to past the second basemen and into the outfield, to bring Saladrigas in for the second run of the inning. Later, Spaulding had an RBI single hit, which rolled sharply to the shortstop, bringing in Colburn, who singled earlier in the inning. A two-run single from Spicola brought both
Chrissy Tabulov (Fr., Palm Harbor, Fla.) and
Chelsea Emery (Sr., Eustis, Fla.) across the plate to expand the lead.
The Sharks took advantage of another Mercyhurst fielding error, when the second baseman couldn’t control a well hit ball from
Samira Tanaka (Jr., Sao, Paulo, Brazil), bringing home Spicola and advancing to second herself. Saladrigas got another chance at the plate later in the inning, crushing a two RBI triple into rightfield, scoring Talon and Tanaka. In the inning the Sharks had eight hits, just one hit less than they had in both games combined against Lynn, just four days prior.
Mercyhurst prolonged the game, scoring two runs in the top of the sixth, to prevent the mercy rule for one more inning. In the Sharks' half of the six, the game ended fittingly on the Lakers' fifth error of the game, when a Garcia hit back to the pitcher, forcing her to make a wild throw over towards third, which allowed Talon to come home for NSU’s 10th run of the game.
Game Two
The second game of the doubleheader proved to be the game of the year for NSU up to this point, showing perseverance from a young team who trailed by seven runs after three innings.
The Sharks started well, when it continued its strong hitting from game one, scoring two runs on two hits and an error in the first inning.
Mercyhurst showed a lot of life in the second inning, almost matching the Sharks nine-run inning in game one, with an eight-run inning of their own. Taylor Jezuit and Shana Bunker combined for five RBI in the inning to help create a huge 8-2 for the Lakers.
The visitors added another run to the scoreboard in the following inning before the unbelievable rally from the Sharks began. Tabulov sparked the Sharks comeback with a base knock over to the third baseman, whose throw to first was not in time. Later in the fourth, Spicola brought Tabulov home from third. After Emery crossed home on a bases loaded walk to Talon, Saladrigas connected on a pitch she hit between third and short to allow Spaulding to score from third. Colburn then came up with a huge double that rolled all the way to the fence, allowing Talon and Saladrigas to score easily, making the score 9-7.
The Sharks rally continued in the fifth, when Tanaka’s bunt forced yet another Laker error. This time the ball was thrown over the first baseman’s head by the pitcher, to bring home Emery and move Tanaka to third. Two batters later, Spicola hit a sharp ground ball to the shortstop, who got her out over at first but allowed Tanaka to cross home plate to tie up the game. A Talon single up the middle brought in the speedy Spaulding to give the Sharks their second lead of the game, 10-9.
NSU tacked on another run in the sixth, after a Laker wild pitch allowed Raimo to come across home plate for the game-winning run.
In the top of the seventh, Mercyhurst’s leadoff hitter. Allison Yule, homered over the fence in left centerfield, to cut the Sharks' lead to one. Two pop-ups into foul territory ended the game and stranded the game-tying run at second base.
The Sharks will take on Rollins to open up SSC play, Friday Mar. 1 at the AD Griffin Sports Complex, with the first pitched slated for 6 p.m.
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