Box Score FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – Nova Southeastern University's baseball team (7-0) defeated the No. 11 Southern New Hampshire University Penmen (0-1) on Friday night at home, winning by a score of 5-3.
Roberto Baroniel (Sr., Miami, Fla.),
Zachary Westcott (R-Sr., Weston, Fla.) and
Devin Raftery (Jr., Deltona, Fla.) combined to strike out sixteen batters, the most NSU has struck out since April 8, 2011, when the Sharks struck out 18 against Barry in 13 innings.
The Penmen struck first in the top of the first inning, scoring one run on a single to centerfield. The Sharks didn't let the Penmen lead last for long, posting a run of their own in the bottom half of the first inning on a single from
Andres Visbal (So., Miami, Fla.), scoring
Roche Woodard (Sr., Tampa, Fla.). NSU tacked on three more runs in the bottom of the second inning after Woodard tripled to the left-centerfield gap, scoring
Dylan Woods (So., New Symrna Beach, Fla.) and
Michael Hernandez (So., Pembroke Pines, Fla.). Woodard would score on an over-throw to third base, giving the Sharks a 4-1 lead.
SNHU threatened again in the top of the third inning, but failed to score after Baroniel struck out two batters and left two runners in scoring position. The Sharks would register one more run in the bottom of the fourth, after
Mario Urdaneta (Sr., Ocala, Fla.) doubled down the left-field line, followed by an
Alexander Fernandez (Sr., Davie, Fla.) RBI triple.
The Penmen bats were silenced from then on, as Westcott came in to pitch in the seventh inning, striking out the first four batters he faced. SNHU threatened again in the bottom of the ninth, scoring two runs, but it was too little, too late, as Raftery relieved Westcott to get the final out of the game.
The Sharks will be back in action Saturday afternoon at 4 p.m. for game two of the three-game series against the Penmen.
