FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – The Nova Southeastern softball team will open season play this weekend in two doubleheader games. The Sharks will travel to Ave Maria, Fla., Saturday to take on the Ave Maria Gyrenes in a doubleheader starting at 1 p.m. On Sunday, the Sharks will play host to a doubleheader matchup against the Flager Saints that begins at 1 p.m.
Ave Maria will also start season play, coming back from a successful 2013 season that established a new program record at 22 wins.
The Sharks softball team will feature eight newcomers and nine returners, including 2013 NFCA Division II All-South Regional Team selection senior
Erika Garcia (Pembroke Pines, Fla.), senior
Jennie Von Doellen (Hudson Bay, Canada), who finished 2013 second in the SSC in strikeouts and senior
Samira Tanaka (Sao Paulo, Brazil), who finished in the top 10 in batted average.
The Saints were picked to finish fifth place in the Peach Belt Conference preseason poll and will welcome back six starters, including senior shortstop Lauren Bessent who was selected as a preseason all-conference selection.
The home opener marks the 12th year of NSU softball and Head Coach Lesa Bonee's 12th year with the program, alongside Robin Martin, who will come back as assistant coach for her seventh.
The Sharks were chosen sixth in the 2014 Sunshine State Conference Preseason poll after pushing their 2013 season record to 26-25 after going 14-5 in its last 19 games, including an 11 game home winning streak.
NSUSharks.com will have live audio, video and stats for all four games this weekend.
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