FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – The Nova Southeastern University baseball team (8-7, 1-0) tallied 23 hits and 19 runs in a blowout win against the Eckerd Tritons (6-5, 1-3) on Friday night. Danny Zardon hit two home runs, while
Michael Hernandez and
Kevin Suarez added a home run each to lead the NSU offense. On the mound,
Alex Mateo earned the win, tossing six innings and striking out six.
In the top of the first inning, Eckerd jumped out to a 1-0 lead, scoring on a rare error committed by the sure-handed
Dylan Woods. The Tritons lead didn't last long, as Zardon launched his first home run of the night, a no-doubt "oppo-taco" over the right-centerfield fence in the bottom of the second inning. After
Kevin Suarez laced a double, Woods singled to score Suarez and give the Sharks a 2-1 lead.
In the bottom of the third inning, Gomez drove in a pair of runs on a single down the left field line to give the Sharks a 4-1 lead. Hernandez then extended the lead to 6-1, launching his fifth home run of the year over the left-centerfield fence.
After each team scored a run in top of the fourth and bottom of the sixth, the one hour and four minute seventh inning was set to begin.
Cameron Churchill took the mound for the Sharks to start the seventh and allowed a walk and three singles. With the score at 7-4, head coach
Greg Brown opted for
Ronald Patella, who allowed two hits, as the Tritons pulled within one run of the Sharks. With the lead on the line, Brown turned to
Devin Raftery and the senior closer struck out two Tritons, leaving the bases loaded and the score at 7-6.
The Eckerd dugout was alive and loud heading into the bottom of the seventh inning, but that didn't last long. Nine hits and 11 runs later, the Sharks had a 18-6 lead and were in prime shape to win their first Sunshine State Conference game of the year. Zardon and Suarez homered in the inning, while Woods,
Brandon Gomez, JanCarlos Cintron, Hernandez,
Dallas Perez added hits of their own. Zardon and Suarez would bat twice in the inning, each singling.
The Sharks added one more run in the bottom of the eighth inning after Perez, Woods and
Jake Anchia all singled.
Alexander Kline pitched the top of the ninth, sealing the deal for the Sharks.
Noteworthy Jake Anchia and
Dallas Perez recorded their first hits as Sharks in the victory. JanCarlos Cintron went 4-for-5 on the night with three singles and a double.
Tweets of the Night
