Box Score 1 |
Box Score 2 FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – Nova Southeastern University's baseball team opened its 2015 season with a doubleheader sweep of the Stillman Tigers.
Game 1 In game one,
Roberto Baroniel (Sr., Miami, Fla.) took the mound for the Sharks. He fell into a hole quickly, as Stillman strung together four runs in a matter of two innings.
It wasn't until the seventh inning that the Sharks' bats decided to come alive, when
Alexander Fernandez (Sr., Davie, Fla.) sent a two-run homerun over the left field fence. Fernandez was followed by
Justin Garcia (Jr., Hialeah, Fla.), who doubled down the right-field line.
Michael Hernandez (So., Pembroke Pines, Fla.) would then drive Garcia in with a double down the left field left.
Ryan Woodrey (R-Sr., Lighthouse Point, Fla.) followed suit and proceeded to drive Hernandez in with a double of his own, tying the score at six.
Stillman would regain the lead after
Zachary Westcott (R-Sr., Weston, Fla.), who relieved Baroniel of his pitching duties in the top of the seventh inning, surrendered a home run to the leadoff batter.
The offense would take care of business from there, as
Mario Urdaneta (Sr., Ocala, Fla.) would get things started in the bottom of the eighth with a double in the left-center gap. Garcia crushed a 3-2 pitch off of the scoreboard for a two-run home run, giving the Sharks a 8-7 lead. Hernandez would then hit a two-run home run of his own, sending his over the left-field wall. NSU would tack on three more runs after two walks, accompanied by three throwing errors from the Stillman defense.
Westcott shut the door on the Tigers offense in the top of the ninth, earning his first win since April 14, 2013. The losing pitcher in the contest was Max Weiner.
Game 2 In game two,
Alex Mateo (Jr., Miami, Fla.) took care of the pitching duties, tossing six innings and allowing just three runs.
Mateo's teammates provided all of the offense that he needed, as Fernandez and
Yandy Viera (Sr., Hialeah, Fla.) provided the power, hitting a solo home run and a two-run home run, respectively.
Stillman struck first with a leadoff home run in the top of the first, but two walks and some key situational hitting from Garcia and a sacrifice fly from
Andres Visbal (So., Miami, Fla.) scored Urdaneta in the bottom half of the first inning. The Sharks broke the tie in the third inning, beginning with a double to the right-centerfield gap from Visbal.
Antonio Rodriguez (Jr., Coral Gables, Fla.) drove Visbal in with a double off of the left field wall. After advancing to third on a wild pitch, Rodriguez scored on a fielders choice from
Dylan Woods (So., New Symrna Beach, Fla.). After adding a run in both the bottom of the fourth and fifth, NSU would unload the power, as Fernandez and
Yandy Viera (Sr., Hialeah, Fla.) crushed their two moonshots.
Matt Hardy (So., Pembroke Pines, Fla.) took care of the Tigers in the bottom of the seventh, leading to the second win of the day.
The Sharks will be back in action Sunday, Feb. 1, as they go for the sweep of the visiting Stillman Tigers. First pitch is at 12 p.m.
