Box Score WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. – The No. 3 Nova Southeastern University baseball team (32-8, 12-3 SSC) fell to the Palm Beach Atlantic University Sailfish (20-17) in the Battle of the Fish: Part IV on Tuesday night, dropping the midweek tilt by a score of 3-2.
Matt Hardy (So., Pembroke Pines, Fla.) tossed six innings, allowing three runs (two earned), while striking out five batters in his first loss of the year. PBA scored one run off of Hardy in the bottom of the second inning, making the score 1-0 on a costly NSU error. The Sharks' offense was kept off balance for the first four innings, striking out 10 times against two of PBA's weekend rotation pitchers.
The NSU offense came alive in the top of the fifth inning, scoring two runs to take a 2-1 lead.
Mario Urdaneta (Sr., Ocala, Fla.) and
Justin Garcia (Jr., Hialeah, Fla.) each singled and with two outs,
Michael Hernandez (So., Pembroke Pines, Fla.) singled to right field, scoring Urdaneta. The PBA first baseman overthrew the catcher in an attempt to throw out Urdaneta, allowing Garcia to score on the same play.
In the bottom of the sixth inning, Hardy was unable to work out of a third jam, as PBA knocked him around for three hits, scoring two runs to take a 3-2 lead. The Sharks had one hit in the last three innings, posing a threat in the bottom of the ninth after
Roche Woodard (Sr., Tampa, Fla.) reached third base with one out. Woodard was stranded at third and the Sharks fell to the Sailfish 3-2.
NSU will be back in Friday night in Orlando, taking on the Rollins College Tars in a three-game series. First pitch for Friday night is set for 6 p.m., followed by a doubleheader on Saturday, beginning at 1 p.m. Be sure to tune into each game, following the links on the schedule page.
