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FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – The Nova Southeastern softball team (24-15, 11-4 SSC) will face No. 2 Tampa this weekend (27-4, 15-3 SSC) at the AD Griffin Sports Complex in a three-game series on Friday, March 11 and Saturday, March 12.
The Sharks will host a single game against the Spartans at 6 p.m. Friday for their designated Alumni Night. NSU will conclude the series with a doubleheader on Saturday beginning at 1 p.m.
NSU has had tremendous success, winning 12 of 13 games and making program history. The Sharks' back-to-back-to-back Sunshine State Conference series sweeps against Barry, Lynn and Florida Southern before this weekend marked the first time the program has made three consecutive SSC sweeps. The Sharks scored a combined 56 runs to their opponents' 13, aiding in the in the 9-0 conference winning streak.
In the Sharks' latest three-game series victory against the Florida Southern Moccasins, the Sharks combined for 28 runs to take the sweep.
The Sharks held the Moccasins scoreless in their first win of the Saturday doubleheader, 8-0, in five innings. The win marked the series' second run-rule game in a row. Jennie Von Doellen (Sr., Hudson Bay, Canada) went the distance for the Sharks, allowing only three hits and no runs while striking out five.
In game two, the Sharks had a four hit, four run sixth inning to take the 8-2, series sweep win. Erika Garcia (Pembroke Pines, Fla.) went 6-for-9 with six RBI and four runs scored. In the series finale, she went 2-for-3 with a double and a home run.
After her dominate series performance, Garcia also repeated as SSC Player of the Week. Before Florida Southern, Garcia helped split a doubleheader against No. 24 Palm Beach Atlantic, hitting .611 (11-for-18) and slugging 1.056 with two doubles and two home runs. She also collected nine RBI and scored six times.
Garcia is tied first in the SSC for RBI with 43, second in hits with 49, third with a .419 batting average and fourth in slugging with .709. The Sharks' success has pushed them to second in the SSC standings, with Tampa at first.
The Tampa Spartans are currently No. 2 in the NFCA Division II poll and are on a 10 game winning streak. Tampa has a strong staff behind junior Julia Morrow and Kayla Cox. On the season, Morrow holds a 0.22 ERA in 95 innings, throwing 162 strikeouts. Cox follows with an ERA of 0.69 and 70 strikeouts in 122 innings.
The Spartans lead the all-time series at 20-18. The Sharks will have an opportunity to tie or take the all-time series lead this weekend against the nationally-ranked powerhouse.
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