Box Score FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – The Nova Southeastern University softball team (11-13, 1-6 SSC) earned its third straight victory Friday with a win against the Saint Leo Lions (26-8, 2-5 SSC), 3-1, at the AD Griffin Sports Complex.
The Sharks were led by a 3-for-3 performance from
Katrina Ammons (Sr., Jacksonville, Fla.), who also had two crucial RBI. In the circle,
Rebecca Thornton (So., Lodi, Calif.) (9-5) picked up the victory and held Saint Leo to one run and six hits, striking out three batters. After a run in the first, Thornton blanked the Lions for six straight frames.
Saint Leo struck first with textbook softball in the opening side. Leadoff batter McKenzie Burns reached base on a single, stole second and was batted over to third before scoring on a sacrifice fly. The Sharks trailed by that run heading into the third despite putting runners on in the first two innings.
The third inning would be the biggest for the Sharks and the only body of offense they needed Friday. Freshman
Brenisha Bannister (Plantation, Fla.) led off with a walk and stole second base.
Dakota Villella (So., Hollywood, Fla.) followed with an infield single, and with runners on the corners, easily stole second. On a 2-2 pitch, Ammons belted the ball into right centerfield for a standup double that scored both runners and snatched the lead.
Courtney Bridge (Sr., Port Coquitlam, British Columbia) entered the game for Ammons as a pinch runner and moved to third on a groundout. Senior
Maegan Lee (Miami, Fla.) sent her home with a shallow single to right centerfield, giving NSU its 3-1 lead.
The Sharks would only earn one hit for the remainder of the game, an Ammons single in the fifth, but would win by clamping down Saint Leo's attack. The Lions only had four base runners from innings four to six, but did threaten in the final inning. Two of the first three batters in the seventh reached on singles to put the tying run on base. However, Thornton drew a fielder's choice and Lee made a dart throw on a grounder from third to end the game.
The Sharks will conclude the three-game series with a doubleheader Saturday at 1 p.m.
