Box Score

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – The No. 4 Nova Southeastern University Sharks (21-4; 4-0) defeated the Florida Southern Mocs (11-11; 1-3) on Friday night, in the quickest Friday night affair at the NSU Baseball Complex this season, thanks to a complete game, career high 10-strikeout performance from senior Roberto Baroniel (Miami, Fla.). NSU won the contest by a score of 5-2, marking the best Sunshine State Conference start in program history.
 
Baroniel allowed one run in the top of the first inning, hitting the first batter he faced with a fastball and allowing a single and a ground ball to score the first run of the game. Baroniel allowed just five hits and one run the rest of the game, setting down 10 batters including Florida Southern's Chris Dennis twice, after Dennis had only struck out once all season.
 
The offense gave Baroniel all of the run support that he needed, scoring five runs on seven hits. In the bottom of the second, Andres Visbal (So., Miami, Fla.) reached on an error, followed by a Nick McNeil (Jr., Clearwater, Fla.). Michael Hernandez (So., Pembroke Pines, Fla.) then laid a sacrifice bunt down, advancing the runners to second and third. Kavan Thompson (Jr., Merritt Island, Fla.) then drove in Visbal, grounding out the shortstop. Dylan Woods (So., New Symrna Beach, Fla.) followed Thompson, singling over the third baseman's head to score McNeil, tying the game at 2-2.
 
The Sharks added one more run in the bottom of the third inning, after Alexander Fernandez (Sr., Davie, Fla.) reached on an error by the Mocs' second baseman and moved over to third, thanks to a single to centerfield from Justin Garcia (Jr., Hialeah, Fla.). Visbal then grounded out to shortstop, scoring Fernandez to give NSU its first lead of the game. The Sharks made the score 5-2 in the bottom of the fourth, thanks to Thompson scoring on a throwing error by the left fielder and a Mario Urdaneta (Sr., Ocala, Fla.) RBI single, driving in Woods.
 
Baroniel took care of the rest, cruising to victory in one of the most impressive pitching outings of his career. He now has a 5-1 record, matching his win total from 2014.
 
NSU is back in action Saturday afternoon with a doubleheader against the Florida Southern Mocs, beginning at 1 p.m. Be sure to tune in to each game, following the links on the schedule page.