FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – The Nova Southeastern softball team (24-15, 11-4 SSC) made program history in this weekend's three-game sweep against the Florida Southern Moccasins (21-14, 7-8 SSC) at the AD Griffin Sports Complex ending on Saturday, April 5. The Sharks won the first game, 8-0, and took the second game of the day, 8-4.

The Sharks' back-to-back Sunshine State Conference series sweeps against Barry and Lynn before this weekend marks the first time the softball program has made three consecutive SSC sweeps. NSU scored a combined 28 runs to Florida Southern's eight to take all three victories.

Game One

The Sharks held the Moccasins scoreless in the first win of the day, 8-0, that ended with the series' second run-rule game in a row. Jennie Von Doellen (Sr., Hudson Bay, Canada) went the distance for the Sharks and allowed only three hits and no runs while striking out five.

On two hits and four runs, four different Shark hitters notched an RBI for the early 4-0 lead in the bottom of the first. Melanie Spicola (Jr., Umatilla, Fla.) and Samira Tanaka (Sr., Sao Paulo, Brazil) were walked to set up the scoring drive. With Spicola at second and Tanaka at third, Erika Garcia (Sr., Pembroke Pines) singled to right center to bring Spicola home. Next at-bat, Katrina Ammons (Jr., Jacksonville, Fla.) brought Tanaka in off a sacrifice fly in centerfield. A fielding error allowed Gina Bondarenko (Sr., Pembroke Pines, Fla.) to reach first base, putting NSU players on the corners. 

Dakota Villella (Fr., Hollywood, Fla.) was walked to first to load the bases. Rebecca Thornton (Fr., Lodi, Calif.) grounded out to shortstop to drive in the third run in the inning. Maegan Lee (Jr., Miami, Fla.) was walked to fill the bases again for the Sharks. Lorena Spaulding (Jr., Pembroke Pines, Fla.) brought in the last run of the inning off a single to second base, giving the Sharks a big advantage early.

The Sharks forced the run-rule in the bottom of third after scoring another four runs on three hits. Villella led the scoring drive with a single to left center. Thornton advanced her to second on sacrifice bunt to shortstop before Spaulding would be walked to first. With one out on the board, Spicola singled up the middle to load the bases. Tanaka then recorded her two RBI of the game on a deep single up the middle to score Villellla and Spaulding and put the Sharks up, 6-0.

Next at-bat, Garcia was walked to first base to advance Tanaka to second. A Florida Southern wild pitch allowed all runners to advance a base, including Garcia who reached home. Spicola would recreate her run-rule score from the Sharks' first win of the series and create the eight-run lead on a passed ball.

Game Two

The second game of the series would be similar to the first, in which the Sharks jumped on the Mocs early to control the entire contest. With two outs in the first inning, Garcia hit a home run to right centerfield on a 2-2 count to give the Sharks a 1-0 lead early.

Leading off in the second, Bondarenko singled up the middle to set up the second run of the game. Villella would be walked to first to put Bondarenko in scoring position. Next at-bat, Thornton hit a sacrifice bunt to advance Bondarenko to third. The leadoff single paid dividends, as Bondarenko scored the Sharks' second run on a throwing error.

The Sharks extended their lead to 4-0 in the bottom of the third. Spicola reached base on a walk and advanced to second on a bunt single by Tanaka. Garcia followed and doubled to right field to bring both runners in and bring her RBI total to three in the game.

The Moccasins scored their first run of the day in the top of the fourth. Leah Pemberton set up the run on a single to right center. Heather Brinkmeier followed with a single to right field. A Shark error allowed both runners to advance and Pemberton to score to avoid the shutout, 4-1.

Florida Southern would cut the Sharks' lead to two in the top of the sixth. A pitching error allowed Kim Booker to get on first. Jamie Graziani, pinch running for Booker, would score on back-to-back singles by Pemberon and Brinkmeier, closing the Sharks' lead to 4-2.

The Sharks retaliated and scored four more in the bottom of the sixth. Like the second inning, Bondarenko set up the scoring runs on a double to left field. Courtney Bridge (Port Coquitlam, Canada), pinch running for Bondarenko, scored on a RBI single by Thornton. Taylor Rotz (Fr., Pittsburgh, Penn.) was walked and Spaulding singled to third base to load the bases. For the first time in the series, Spicola did not score the final run to end the game, but instead hit a three-run RBI triple to right center to secure the Sharks' six run lead. The Mocs scored a pair in the seventh but never threatened the lead.

Nova Southeastern will return to the field to host No. 4 Tampa on Friday, April 11, at 6 p.m.

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