Box Score DAHLONEGA, Ga. – The Nova Southeastern University baseball team (5-2) fell to the University of North Georgia Nighthawks (6-0) in 13 innings on Saturday afternoon by a score of 8-7.
The Sharks got on the board first when Jeremy Vasquez doubled to right-centerfield in the top of the first inning, scoring Jancarlos Cintron-Torres who reached on a leadoff walk. The Nighthawks quickly responded with a three-run bottom of the first inning on three hits, a walk, and an error. That would end the day for the Sharks' starter Matt Hardy, who was relieved by Jonny Ortiz to begin the bottom of the second inning.
Prior to the pitching change, the Sharks cut the deficit to one run on a Brendan Cutting single, scoring Kevin Suarez. Just like the bottom of the first inning, North Georgia responded with a few runs of their own, scoring on a two-run homerun off of Ortiz.
With the score at 5-2, NSU responded once again with one run in the top of the third, thanks to a Brandon Gomez single that drove in Cintron. The Sharks would score again in the fifth on a no-doubter off of the bat of Vasquez, bringing the score to 5-4. The NSU lineup then took advantage of the a miscue by the Nighthawks defense, scoring an a throwing error by the North Georgia third baseman.
Following another lead change that saw UNG take a 6-5 lead, Gomez launched his fourth home run of the year to left centerfield to tie the ballgame at 6-6. Sticking to the script, the Nighthawks took the lead back in the bottom of the seventh, only to see the Sharks tie the game once again at 7-7 on a perfectly executed Dylan Woods squeeze play.
Cameron Churchill kept the Nighthawks lineup at ease for four innings before turning the ball over to Josh Glick who struck out three straight hitters with the bases loaded to get the Sharks out of a major jam in the bottom of the eleventh.
After failing to take advantage of a great opportunity in the top of the 13th, the Sharks allowed a walkoff-home run to the Nighthawks in the bottom of the 13th, giving North Georgia the series win.
NSU will be back in action Sunday at noon. NSU will turn to Joe DiBenedetto to avoid the sweep and salvage the series.
