Box Score 1 | Box Score 2


CLEARWATER, Fla. – The Nova Southeastern University softball team (3-1) split day one of the Eckerd Spring Invitational Friday, falling to Colorado Christian (1-0), 8-5, before winning on a Maegan Lee (So., Miami, Fla.) walk-off double against Harding (2-1), 5-4.
 
NSU vs. Colorado Christian
After two scoreless innings, NSU posted the first run of the game in the third frame. Haley Gonzales (Fr., Boca Raton, Fla.) reached base with a double to left field. A fellow freshman in Jessie Brown (Davie, Fla.) would send her home three batters later on a ground rule double down the left field line. The lead would be short lived, with CCU posting three runs in the bottom side and establishing a lead they would not give up.
 
The Sharks would leave multiple runners on base in the fourth and fifth innings, while CCU cushioned their lead in the fourth with another run, capitalizing off a Shark error. The game seemed to get out of control in a sixth inning in which the Cougars scored an additional three runs, once again aided by a fielding error by NSU. CCU had the game-ending runner on third base, but a fly ball to left kept the Sharks from losing on the Eight-Run Rule.
 
The Sharks could not erase the deficit but gave the CCU fans a scare in the seventh. Freshman Brenisha Bannister (Plantation, Fla.) led off with a single down the left field line and was followed by reigning SSC Player of the Week Lorena Spaulding's (Sr., Pembroke Pines, Fla.) infield single. A pitching error allowed both runners to score and Brown, who attempted a sacrifice bunt, to make it all the way to third base. Te Reo Powhiri Matautia (Jr., Auckland, New Zealand) plated her with a double and scored on the ensuing single from Rebecca Thornton (So., Lodi, Calif.).
 
NSU was three runs away with no outs, but the Cougars regained composure and drew three straight outs to end the rally and game. Taylor Rotz (So., Pittsburgh, Pa.) took the loss, going 3.2 innings while allowing two earned runs and striking out three batters. Carly Comito (So., Boca Raton, Fla.) pitched 2.1 innings of relief, allowing an earned run and four hits.
 
NSU vs. Harding
The Sharks' seventh-inning offense did not pour into game two against Harding. NSU was held scoreless over the first five innings and only earned a pair of hits from Spaulding and Dakota Villella (So., Hollywood, Fla.), both bunt singles. Meanwhile, Harding posted a run in the first and three runs in the third to take a 4-0 lead.
 
In danger of falling to .500 on the season, NSU broke the scoreless streak with three runs in the sixth inning. Katrina Ammons (Sr., Jacksonville, Fla.) and Lee earned back-to-back hits to kick start the Shark attack. Gonzales sent Lee and Shelby Cogan (Sr., Fort Lauderdale, Fla.), who reached on a fielder's choice, home on a clutch triple down the right field line. With two outs, Villella hit an infield single that she seemingly beat out by a hair, scoring Gonzales in the process.
 
The Sharks entered the seventh inning down a run, and Thornton, who entered in the sixth, kept the Bison at bay. She struck out the first two batters, and after a full-count walk, drew a groundout to end the side. Needing a run to keep the game alive, Matautia played small ball with an infield single to third base. Comito immediately sent her home to tie the game with a RBI single up the middle. Thornton bunted the game-winning runner over to second, setting up Lee's laser double up the middle to give the Sharks a walk-off win.
 
Overall, Lee went 2-for-4 with a run and the game-winning RBI. Thornton (2-0) earned the win in relief, pitching two hitless innings and striking out four of the seven batters she faced.
 
NSU will play two games on Saturday, beginning with an 11 a.m. matchup with Young Harris, followed by a game against Shorter on the same field.