Box Score

SAINT LEO, Fla. – Touted as the NCAA Divison II series of the week, the No. 8 Nova Southeastern University Sharks (14-3; 1-0) took game one against the No. 14 Saint Leo University Lions (17-2; 0-1), winning by a score of 6-1. Roberto Baroniel (Sr., Miami, Fla.) earned the win, tossing seven innings of one-run baseball against a Saint Leo team that leads the country in runs scored.
 
In a game featuring two of the top pitchers in the Sunshine State Conference, Baroniel (4-0) came out on top, as the NSU offense gave him all of the run support that he needed. In a nearly identical performance from 2014's Friday night matchup, Saint Leo's Michael Dunnigan was tagged for five runs and eight hits in just 5.1 innings of work.
 
The NSU offense got on the scoreboard first, thanks to a great at-bat from Justin Garcia (Jr., Hialeah, Fla.) in the top of the second inning, working his at-bat to a 3-2 count and proceeding to launch the seventh pitch he saw over the hitters eye in centerfield for his team-high fifth home run of the year, giving the Sharks an early 1-0 lead.
 
Saint Leo answered back in the bottom of the fourth inning, leading off the inning with a double down the right field line from Cole Stancil and a walk. Stancil advanced to third on a wild pitch, giving the Lions runners on first and third and no outs. Saint Leo's Troy Sieber then hit a fly ball to deep centerfield to drive in Stancil. Baroniel worked out of the inning and never looked back, allowing just three hits all night.
 
The Sharks put two more runs on the board in the top of the fifth inning, cashing in on a majestic two-run home run from Nick McNeil (Jr., Clearwater, Fla.) to take a 3-1 lead. McNeil's home run landed on the lacrosse field behind right field, resulting in a stoppage of play in the Saint Leo lacrosse game.
 
NSU wasn't done there, adding two more runs in the top of the sixth inning on a triple from Andres Visbal (So., Miami, Fla.), scoring Garcia, who singled to leadoff the inning. Michael Hernandez (So., Pembroke Pines, Fla.) followed with a double off of the right field fence to drive in Visbal, giving the Sharks a 5-1 lead.
 
After the Sharks added one more run in the top of the seventh inning to take a 6-1 lead, Baroniel cruised through the bottom half of the inning, proceeding to hand the game over to Zachary Westcott (R-Sr., Weston, Fla.) to get the last six outs. Westcott did just so, striking out three of the seven batters he faced to finish the game.
 
NSU will be back in action Saturday afternoon in a doubleheader matchup against the Lions. First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m. Be sure to tune in to each game, following the links on the schedule page.