Box Score FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – Nova Southeastern University's baseball team (3-0) completed the sweep of the visiting Stillman Tigers (0-3), registering NSU's third win of the year by score of 10-5. All three wins are key NCAA South Region wins, due to Stillman's history of making the NCAA South Region tournament seven of the last eight years.
Junior transfer
Ryan Castellanos (Davie, Fla.) was handed the ball and obtained his first win as a Shark after throwing six innings, giving up six hits and three earned runs, while striking out five batters.
The offense wasted no time getting on the scoreboard, posting four runs in the bottom of the first inning. The scoring began with
Mario Urdaneta (Sr., Ocala, Fla.) reaching first on an error by the Stillman second baseman. Urdaneta would go first to home on a triple from the hot-hitting
Alexander Fernandez (Sr., Davie, Fla.).
Justin Garcia (Jr., Hialeah, Fla.) then grounded into a fielder's choice, scoring Fernandez. Catcher
Michael Hernandez (So., Pembroke Pines, Fla.) then stepped to the plate, proceeding to hit a two-run home run, his second big fly of the weekend.
Stillman would strike back in the top of the second, doubling off of the center-field wall, advancing to third on a wild pitch, then scoring on a sacrifice fly. Stillman would quiet the Sharks' offense in the bottom of the second inning and tack on two more runs in the top of the third inning.
The Sharks offense came alive again in the bottom of the fourth, tallying three runs on one hit and one error. Freshman
Ryan Dodge (Pembroke Pines, Fla.) roped a single through the six-hole, marking his first collegiate hit.
Casey Gibson (R-Jr., Fort Myers, Fla.) followed Dodge with a walk, later scoring on a throwing error by the Stillman third baseman. After reaching first base on a fielders choice and advancing to third on the same throwing error that Gibson scored on,
Dylan Woods (So., New Symrna Beach, Fla.) was driven in by Urdaneta, who grounded out to the first baseman. NSU would score it's third run after
Roche Woodard (Sr., Tampa, Fla.) walked and and eventually scored on a passed ball.
After holding the Tigers scoreless in the top of the fifth, Hernandez drew a walk, stole second base and scored on a Woods single to left field. NSU added two more runs in the bottom of the seventh, when
Antonio Rodriguez (Coral Gables, Fla.) was hit by a pitch, advanced to second on a wild pitch and scored on a Gibson double down the right-field line. Woods tacked on the second run of the inning, sending a fly ball to right field, deep enough to score Dodge, who walked earlier in the inning.
Devin Raftery (R-Jr., Deltona, Fla.),
Steven Fleming (Jr., Palm City, Fla.) and
Cameron Churchill (Fr., Palm Harbor, Fla.) pitched in relief of Castellanos, handling the seventh, eighth and ninth innings, respectively. The Tigers were able to push two runs across the plate in the top of the ninth, but it was not enough, as the Sharks would win the game by a score of 10-5.
The Sharks will be back in action on Friday, Feb. 6
th against the visiting Delta State Statesman. First pitch is set for 6 p.m.
