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FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – The Nova Southeastern baseball team overcame a five-run deficit behind a combined seven hits and five RBI from
Jose Rodriguez and
Michael Melendez, defeating Florida Southern on Friday night at the NSU Baseball Complex, 11-7.
The Sharks (22-13, 4-6 SSC) took a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the first inning on a two-run home run to centerfield by Melendez (So., Miramar, Fla.). But a six-run Mocs third inning, where 10 batters came to plate against NSU starter
Vinnie Contaldi (Sr., Jupiter, Fla.) pushed them back ahead, 7-2.
Melendez scored the Sharks’ third run, in the third, leading off the inning with a double and moving to third on a single by Rodriguez (Sr., Hialeah, Fla.).
Alex Marrero (Sr., Miami) knocked him in with a sacrifice fly to make it 7-3.
Then after keeping the Mocs off the board in the top of the fourth, NSU took the lead for good with a big inning of their own in the bottom half. With one out and
Carlos Asuaje (Jr., Weston, Fla.) on first, Melendez doubled the opposite way to plate the first run. Rodriguez then knocked in Melendez with his third single of the night to bring the Sharks within two.
A single by
Kevin Reynolds (Jr., Fort Myers, Fla.) and a walk to Marrero loaded the bases, and
Brandon Sedell (So., Davie, Fla.) delivered the game’s biggest blow, a smash off the fence to score all three of his teammates and give the Sharks an 8-7 lead, one they wouldn’t relinquish.
Two home runs highlighted a three-run sixth for the home team to give them some cushion. Rodriguez left off the inning with a towering blast off the top of the scoreboard in left, and after Reynolds reached on an error, Marrero drove them both in with an opposite field shot to extend the lead to 11-7.
After the six-run third, the Sharks would not allow another FSC run. Contaldi (4-3) would pitch three more innings of scoreless baseball, and left having only allowed one earned run while striking out seven.
Josh Glick (Fr., Boca Raton, Fla.) pitched two-plus innings and only allowed two hits, and for the second straight game,
Julian Loret de Mola (So., Miami) left multiple runners on to end it. On Friday, it was bases loaded and one out when the reliever got a strikeout and popout to seal the victory.
Rodriguez finished the night 4-for-5 with two runs scored and two RBI, while Melendez was 3-for-5 with two doubles, a home run, three runs scored, and three RBI. Sedell had two doubles and three RBI, and Marrero had three runs knocked in as well.
Florida Southern (15-19, 7-6 SSC), who currently sits fourth in the conference, dropped to 0-15 on the road this season with the loss. The two teams meet up again on Saturday for a doubleheader to finish the series, beginning at 1 p.m.
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