Box Score 1 |
Box Score 2 GAME ONE BOX | GAME TWO BOX
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – The Nova Southeastern softball team (23-23, 6-15 SSC) won both games of their doubleheader against the Palm Beach Atlantic Sailfish (23-21), each of which coming in walk-off fashion. The Sharks won the first game in the bottom of the 11th, 4-3, and then winning 5-4 in the bottom of the seventh to complete the sweep over the Sailfish.
On a night of celebration and emotion, the Sharks recognized National Student-Athlete Day in between games one and two. It was also the annual Strikeout Cancer series, where both teams acknowledged those who lost their lives, are fighting, or have beaten cancer, prior to the games. NSU's Dr. C.A. Tolchinsky, manager of Student-Athlete Services, threw out the ceremonial first pitch.
The Sharks won both games after trailing heading into the sixth inning in each of the games, and with the wins, extended their home winning streak to nine.
Game One
Erika Garcia (Jr., Pembroke Pines, Fla.) was the hero in game one, hitting a one-out single to leftfield in the 11th inning, scoring
Lorena Spaulding (So., Pembroke Pines, Fla.) from third for the winning run.
Garcia (6-4) also had a spectacular game in the circle, throwing 129 pitches in the 11-inning thriller, striking out three batters and allowing only two earned runs.
The game started slow offensively as both teams’ pitchers kept both kept zero’s in the runs column through the first four innings. PBA was then able to take a 2-0 lead heading into the bottom of the sixth, as the Sharks were only able to record just three hits up to that point.
However, NSU rallied in the sixth, starting with a
Samira Tanaka (Jr., Sao Paolo, Brazil) leadoff bunt single. Saladrigas and Garcia each followed with five-pitch walks, loading the bases for
Melanie Spicola (So., Umatilla, Fla.). Spicola did not disappoint, hitting a RBI single up the middle to score Tanaka and cut the deficit to one.
Chelsea Emery (Sr., Eustis, Fla.) tied the game on a sacrifice fly that was hit just deep enough to center field to advance all runners and score Saladrigas from third.
Ashley Silveira (Sr., Miami, Fla) was walked to load the bases again, but PBA starting pitcher Mary Pippin was able to retire the next two Shark batters to get out of the inning with no further damage.
In extra innings, the Sharks saw three runners left on base, including runners on second and third with two outs in the bottom of the 10th. Sailfish reliever Kayti Lundin enduced an inning-ending groundout to keep the game alive for the visitors.
PBA was able to take a 3-2 lead in the 11th on a Lauren Powel double to right center, giving the Sailfish confidence going into the bottom half.
The first two Shark batters were retired to start the home half of the 11th, leaving the team with one out to play, down one run. But
Elizabeth Spring (Fr., West Palm Beach, Fla.) was able to reach base on a ball that went right through the second baseman’s legs, and Spaulding kept the game alive on a bunt single, using her speed to beat out the throw. Tanaka was then walked on four pitches to load the bases. Saladrigas, the next batter in the line-up was hit by a pitch to score Spring, setting up Garcia’s walk-off base hit.
The game saw 21 combined hits, with PBA edging out the Sharks in that category, 11-10.
Game Two
The second game ended on a surprise and rare walk-off bunt from
Laura Saladrigas (Sr., Hollywood, Fla.), bringing in Spaulding from third to score her second game-winning run in as many games.
The second game saw a similar start to Wednesday's opener, with both teams unable to produce any runs through the first two innings.
The Sailfish took a brief lead in the third, scoring a run on a NSU fielding error.
That didn’t faze the Sharks as they were able to put up three runs in the next half-inning. The rally started on another Spaulding bunt, after Shelby Talon was walked as the leadoff batter. Tanaka was then able to drop down a perfect sacrifice bunt to advance the runners, before a Saladrigas grounder to short forced a throwing error, allowing Spaulding and Talon to score. Spicola then belted a RBI triple, her second of the season, to give the Sharks a 3-1 advantage.
PBA retook the lead and momentum in fifth with two runs coming on a double from Lyndsey Johnson, giving the visitors a 4-3 lead going into the sixth.
Emery was able to tie the game in the sixth with a pinch-hit single up the middle, scoring
Marissa Raimo, (Sr., Hampton Bays, Fla.) from second, who reached base on a walk earlier in the inning.
With the game tied in the bottom of the seventh, Spaulding reached on a bunt single for her third hit of the game. Spaulding showed her true speed by making it easily to third on a Tanaka sacrifice that set up the walk-off bunt from Saladrigas during the next at-bat.
Jennie Von Doellen (Jr., Hudson Bay, Canada) (15-15) pitched well to earn the win for NSU, striking out five batters and allowing just two earned runs.
The Sharks out-hit PBA, 10-4.
NSU will now get ready for a weekend series with second-place Tampa on the road, beginning Friday at 6:00 p.m.
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