FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – The Nova Southeastern baseball team (7-1) is set for another slate of games, first taking on the St. Thomas Bobcats (6-1) Wednesday, Feb. 12 in Miami Gardens for a single game, starting at 6 p.m. The Sharks will then travel back home for a unique three-game series against the Philadelphia Rams (0-0), starting with a doubleheader Thursday, Feb. 13, beginning at 4 p.m., and then concluding their series with the Rams with a game Sunday, Feb. 16, at 12 p.m.
The Sharks have started their 2014 campaign nearly perfect, starting the season 6-0, the best start in program history, before splitting a doubleheader against a strong Pfeiffer side last Sunday.
With the majority of the Sharks' starters being new faces, there was some uncertainty going into the year. However, many of the newcomers have stepped up in a huge way.
Mario Urdaneta (Jr., Ocala, Fla.) and freshman
Andres Visbal (Miami) are each hitting over .400, while Visbal is currently second on the team with eight RBI.
The freshman
Alvin Swoope (Port St. Lucie, Fla.) has also been making a name for himself this season, hitting .370 with four RBI, and has made stellar defensive plays at the shortstop position. The senior leader
Brooks Fleming (Palm City, Fla.), one of the returners to the Sharks squad, has become a force early on. The right fielder has a .391 batting average, to go along with a team high nine RBI.
Roberto Baroniel (Jr., Miami) has been the Sharks ace this season, starting the season 2-0 on the mound with just a 1.93 ERA. Baroniel has allowed just eight hits in 14 innings of work, striking out 11.
Seth Natal (Jr., Oakland Park, Fla.) also had a standout performance in his one start against Albany State, going six innings, striking out five and allowing just one run, unearned.
The Sharks could face a tough test on the mound on Wednesday as St. Thomas's Emilo Ogando was recently named to the Florida League's All-Decade Team, joining NSU's
Josh Glick (So., Boca Raton, Fla.). Both Glick and Ogando played on the Winter Park Diamond Dawgs in 2013.
Ogando has yet to allow a run in two games on the mound, striking out 23 batters, more than half of the batters he has faced this season (43).
On the offensive side for the Bobcats, Edwin Medina has gone 13-for-26 at the plate, while totaling 10 RBI in his first seven games of the year.
The Bobcats have outscored their opponents 56-12 on the season.
NSU will prove to be the first test for the Philadelphia Rams this season. The Rams are sandwiching a series in with Palm Beach Atlantic, prior to their series finale against the Sharks on Sunday.
The Rams, who are picked to finish fifth in the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference, finished its 2013 campaign 19-28-1 and 12-8 in conference play.
Junior Ken McCormick led last year's team with a .320 batting average, on 62 hits and 25 RBI. Senior left fielder Shane Yoshiyama posted a .311 batting average, with 52 hits and 20 RBI.
Junior starting pitcher David Lerro is Philadelphia's returning strikeout leader with 36. Sophomore closer Luke Floer finished tied for the conference lead in saves, with eight.
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