Box Score

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. - The Nova Southeastern softball team split its doubleheader against No. 2 University of Tampa, Saturday, April 12, at the AD Griffin Sports Complex.

Jennie Von Doellen (Sr., Hudson Bay, Canada) led the way for the Sharks to mark one of the biggest victories in program history in the opener, allowing just five hits against zero walks and striking out 10.

Game 1

With the first bat of the game, the Spartans' Kayleen Boatwright doubled to left-center. A sacrifice bunt by Kandi Kuder advanced her to second, and Tampa got the early lead, 1-0, off a double by Lindsay Dring that brought Boatwright home.

A Spartans error and two hits allowed the Sharks to score the two runs needed to take the win. Melanie Spicola (Jr., Umatilla, Fla.) opened the rally with a single to left field. Lorena Spaulding (Jr., Pembroke Pines, Fla.) beat the throw on a bunt to get on first and advance Spiocla to second. Next at-bat, Samira Tanaka (Sr., Sao Paulo, Brazil), reached base on a throwing error, as Spicola sprinted around the bases to score the tying run. Erika Garcia (Sr., Pembroke Pines, Fla.) notched an RBI sacrifice fly that brought Spaulding home to take the 2-1 lead in the bottom of the third.

Von Doellen sealed the win by holding the Spartans to just three hits and no runs in the game after the first inning. 

Game 2

Tampa won the series in their 3-2, victory against the Sharks in the second game of the doubleheader. All three of Tampa's runs were scored in back-to-back innings.

With the first pitch in the fourth inning, Kuder singled to right-center before Meagan Burke cleared the bases on a home run to left field to put Tampa up, 2-0.

Boatwright extended the Spartans' lead to 3-0 in the top of the fifth win a solo home run to left-center.

An infield error and two walks in the top of the fifth allowed the Sharks to cut the lead to one.

A walk by UT starter Kayla Cox allowed Dakota Villella (Fr., Hollywood, Fla.) to reach base. Taylor Rotz (Fr., Pittsburgh, Penn.), pinch -hitting for Maegan Lee (Jr., Miami, Fla.), reached on a fielding error that allowed Villella to advance to second. With Lee, pinch running for Rotz, on first and Villella on second, Spicola walked to first to load the bases. Next at-bat, Spaulding notched an RBI single to put the Sharks on the board. Tanaka followed and connected on a sacrifice fly to cut the Spartans lead to 3-2.

The Sharks threatened to tie the game in the bottom of the seventh off the bat of Spicola, who slammed a triple deep to left field to be in scoring position. But Cox and the Spartans' defense avoided the score to take the 3-2 victory.

Von Doellen took the loss in the second game, allowing five hits and three runs in five innings of play. Rebecca Thornton (Fr., Lodi, Cali.) relieved Von Doellen in the sixth, throwing for two innings and allowing no hits and runs.

The Sharks will continue conference play on Thursday, April 17, at the AD Griffin Sports Complex, facing Florida Tech with first pitch set for 6 p.m., for the first of three games.

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