BOX SCORE
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – Twice, the Nova Southeastern baseball team had the bases loaded and one out in late innings, but the Sharks were unable to get the key hit, falling to No. 6 Tampa Friday night at the NSU Baseball Complex, 6-4.
The Sharks (24-17, 6-10 SSC) trailed 4-3 in the seventh with three on and one out, but reliever Preston Packard got out of the jam with no runs scoring, grounding NSU’s leading hitter
Jose Rodriguez (Sr., Hialeah, Fla.) into a double play to end the frame.
After Tampa (35-9, 15-4 SSC) scored twice in the eighth to push the lead to three, the Sharks threatened in their final at-bat.
Angel Navarro (So., Miami Lakes, Fla.) reached on an error to begin the inning, and an out later, advanced to third on a hit-and-run off the bat of
Carlos Asuaje (Jr., Weston, Fla.). When Packard went 3-0 to
Michael Melendez (So., Miramar, Fla.), he was pulled in favor of the Spartans’ stopper, Mike Adams.
Melendez was able to draw the walk off Adams, and after a strikeout of Rodriguez, the Sharks did plate a run as
Kevin Reynolds (Jr., Fort Myers, Fla.) was hit by a pitch. Trailing by two with two outs, pinch-hitter
Julian Loret de Mola (So., Miami) was punched out on three pitches to end it and preserve the UT win.
Adams got the save in relief of Tampa starter Jon Keller (3-3).
Vinnie Contaldi (Sr., Jupiter, Fla) took the loss, giving up 10 hits and four runs in six innings of work. He struck out five UT batters, dropping to 4-4 on the season.
NSU had fought back twice in the early going to tie. After UT scored in their first at-bat off Contaldi, the home team knotted it up in the second. With one out,
Alex Marrero (Sr., Miami) drew a walk and moved to third on a single by
Brandon Sedell (So., Davie, Fla.). A sacrifice fly to center by
Brett Clements (Sr., Riverview, Fla.) made it a 1-1 game.
Again, the Spartans moved ahead, in the third, but the Sharks came right back in the bottom of the inning. Trailing 2-1, Melendez singled with two outs and stole second base. Rodriguez plated his teammate with a hard shot to rightfield for the second NSU run.
Tampa came right back with two more in the fourth, giving them a 4-2 lead. Navarro got another Shark rally started in the fifth, singling to lead the inning off.
Eric Acevedo (Sr., Miami) put down a successful sacrifice to move Navarro to second, and one out later, a single up the middle by Melendez knocked in Navarro to make it 4-3. That was the last run NSU would score until the ninth.
Melendez was the Sharks' hitting star on Friday, as he had two hits and two walks, scored once, knocked in a run, and also had two stolen bases.
The Sharks and Spartans are right back at it Saturday afternoon, for a doubleheader beginning at 1 p.m.
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