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FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. - The Nova Southeastern softball team (20-14) will play the Palm Beach Atlantic Sailfish (22-7) this Tuesday, April 1, in a doubleheader at 5 p.m.
The Sharks look to extend an eight-game winning streak that includes back-to-back three-game series victories against in-conference foes Barry and Lynn. The Sharks' three-game sweep against Barry was the first one in program history and marked the second program to sweep the Bucs in conference over the past nine seasons. The back-to-back three-game series sweeps were the first ones since April of 2010.
The Sharks' recent success has also raised them in the Sunshine State Conference standings. They are now ranked fourth in the SSC trailing behind Tampa, Rollins and Florida Southern. Melanie Spicola (Jr., Umatilla, Fla.) is sixth in the conference in batting average at .368, tied with Erika Garcia (Sr., Pembroke Pines) with .368. Garcia is also ranked fourth in RBI with 29 and Gina Bondarenko (Sr., Pembroke Pines) is in the 10th spot with 20.
Garcia was also named SSC Offensive Player of the Week after hitting .444 (8-18) in the past six games and slugging .833 with two home runs and a double. In game three against Lynn, Garcia hit home runs in back-to-back at-bats.
The Sharks look to continue their success with the doubleheader against the Sailfish, who are currently No. 22 in the NFCA poll. Recently, the Sailfish split a doubleheader with Florida Tech on Wednesday, March 26.
Kayti Lundin threw for all seven innings of the 5-1 win, allowing just two hits and striking out three. Offensively, Victoria Gonzalez went 2-for-3 with two RBI, followed by Stephanie Garrels and Chelsie Hersey who both went 2-for-4 with one run and RBI.
The Sharks hold the all-time record in the series, 40-11. The Sailfish took a 2-0 victory in an earlier contest this season. The Sharks' only hit in the game came off the bat of Samira Tanaka (Sr., Sao Paulo, Brazil). Rebecca Thornton (Fr., Lodi, Calif.) took the loss for the Sharks, pitching four innings, walking two and allowing six hits.
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