Box Score 1 |
Box Score 2 FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – The Nova Southeastern baseball team opened up the 2014 season with a sweep over the Tusculum Pioneers at the NSU Baseball Complex, winning 2-1 in the first game, while making a comeback, 3-2 win in the latter to earn the sweep.
With the opening win, the Sharks have now won their fourth straight season opener in a row.
Game One
The Sharks won game one behind outstanding pitching from
Roberto Baroniel (Jr., Miami), who allowed just one run on two hits in eight innings of work, as well timely defense plays.
The Sharks earned both of their runs early, scoring twice in the first inning of play. The inning got going after
Geoff Jimenez (Sr., Pembroke Pines, Fla.) got hit by a pitch, the first of two in game one. Jimenez then stole second, during
Alvin Swoope's (Fr., Port St. Lucie, Fla.) at-bat. Swoope took advantage of Pioneers' pitcher Christian Raasch's shaky start, doubling to centerfield, bringing Jimenez home and earning himself his first RBI in his first at-bat as a Shark.
NSU kept on Raasch, after
Mario Urdaneta (Jr., Ocala, Fla.), the next batter in the lineup, singled up the right side, moving Swoope to third. Experienced newcomer
Alexander Fernandez (Jr., Davie, Fla.) brought in NSU's second and ultimately final run of the game, with an infield single to shortstop.
Baroniel held Tusculum scoreless through the first four innings of play, posting 1-2-3 innings in the second, third and fourth.
The Pioneers finally broke through in the fifth, after leadoff hitter Chris Waylock, drove a solo shot over the leftfield fence, cutting the Sharks' lead in half. However, Baroniel showed toughness on the bump, not allowing another hit after that slight blemish.
After eight solid innings from Baroniel,
Ronald Patella (So., Davie, Fla.) came in to close for NSU and did so in brilliant fashion, not allowing a hit and forcing the Pioneers to hit into a 6-4-3 double play for the first two outs of the inning. During the final at-bat, Patella struck out pinch-hitter Cody Andreychuk to give the Sharks the win and himself his first save of the season.
Game Two
The Sharks won game two in dramatic fashion, 3-2, after being down for nearly the entire game.
NSU saw themselves down, 2-1 heading into the bottom of the sixth inning, when the pieces finally came together. The game changed when
Angel Navarro (Jr., Miami Lakes, Fla.) came on to pinch-hit with runners on the corners and two outs. Navarro, who was facing John-Austin Shepard, a Daktronics All-South Region selection a season ago, smoked a double into rightfield, allowing Fernandez to score from third, knotting the game up at two.
Shepard was clearly rattled during the next at-bat against Jimenez as a pitch got away from him, bringing home
Andres Visbal (Fr., Miami) from third, for what turned out to be the game-winning run.
Josh Glick (So., Boca Raton, Fla.) closed out the series, going three up-three down in the seventh, while striking out a batter.
The Pioneers' runs came in the second inning on a Nick Rodriguez two-run double through the left side, giving Tusculum its first lead of the day.
The Sharks came back in the bottom of the fourth, after senior
Brooks Fleming (Palm City, Fla.) singled into centerfield, scoring Fernandez from third. Earlier in the inning, Fernandez crushed a double into the right-center gap, and advanced to third after pitcher T.J. Miller threw the ball into centerfield attempting to pick him off.
Julian Loret de Mola (Jr., Miami) had a solid outing as the team's starter, allowing just the two unearned runs in four innings on the mound and striking out two Pioneer batters.
Casey Kopec (So., Coral Springs, Fla.) came on in relief and pitched two strong innings as he allowing just one hit and wrung up one batter.
The Sharks will look to close out the weekend strong as they take on Catawba College tomorrow in a tough single game outing at the NSU Baseball Complex. First pitch is slated for 1 p.m.
Mitchell Buerosse (Sr., Lighthouse Point, Fla.) is projected to make the start for NSU.
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