FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – The Nova Southeastern softball team picked up its first series win of the season, sweeping the visiting Embry-Riddle Eagles in a doubleheader on Saturday afternoon. With the wins, NSU improves to 3-7 on the year while ERAU falls to 4-7.
In a two and a half hour affair, the Sharks rallied in the bottom of the sixth of game to score five runs and take the lead en route to a 10-8 victory. Game two saw less action, but the same result, as the Sharks won, 1-0.
GAME ONE
Down 3-0 after the first inning, the Sharks used singles by
Ashley Roe and
Megan Maloney to put runners in scoring position, before an error by the Eagles pushed Roe to third. With runners at the corners, an RBI single by
Erica Winter got NSU on board 1-0 and two batters later,
Dana Edmundson sent another RBI single to right field to score Maloney and cut the deficit to just one run, 3-2.
A wild pitch in the bottom of the third knotted the game, 3-3, before the Eagles regained the lead in the top of the fourth scoring three runs on four hits.
The Sharks took advantage of ERAU's relief pitcher Dana Rowley in the bottom of the fourth, as she hit back-to-back batters to load the bases and push a run across, bringing the score to 6-3.
The Eagles tacked on another run in the visitor's half of the fifth and Nova Southeastern responded immediately, as a Winter RBI single added another run for the Sharks, bringing the scoreboard to 7-5 in favor of the Eagles.
After a scoreless top of the sixth, the Sharks exploded for five runs on four hits in the home-half of the inning to capture the lead, 10-7. Back-to-back triples by
Dakota Villella and
Megan Granitto and a single up the middle by
Lexie Storrer put two on the board for the Sharks with no outs, tying the game, 7-7. A single by
Sydney Lageyre got NSU in scoring position before a walk drawn by Roe loaded the bases. The Eagles managed to snag Storrer out at the plate, but were not in time on the next play as Lageyre scored, giving the Sharks an 8-7 lead.
Mary Acosta was hit by a pitch to force Roe home, and two batters later Villella drew a walk to bring in another run for NSU, their last of the game.
The Eagles did their best to rally in the top of the seventh, scoring one on an RBI single by Scott, but it wasn't enough as NSU escaped with a 10-8 victory.
Roe was 2-for-3 with three runs scored while Winter was 2-for-4 with three RBI. Both Edmundson and Storrer were 2-for-4, while Edmundson added an RBI and Storrer tacked on an RBI and a run scored.
Winter (1-1) was awarded the win, her first of the season, after entering for 4.0 innings in relief, allowing five runs on seven hits with two strikeouts. Granitto started in the circle for the Sharks and pitched 3.0 innings and gave up three runs (2 ER) on three hits with two strikeouts.
GAME TWO
In the nightcap, the Sharks tallied the lone run of the game in the bottom of the second. With two outs, Maloney was hit by a pitch and
Samantha Gonzales drew a walk before Acosta singled to left center, scoring Maloney for the 1-0 lead and eventual winning score.
Overall, the two pitchers from either team put on outstanding performances, as Storrer (2-3) held the Eagles to five hits and ERAU's Illona Andringa (3-3) allowed only three hits. Storrer grabbed her second win of the season, striking out three, while Andringa recorded nine strikeouts with only three hits allowed.
The Sharks are back in action on Tuesday as they host Kentucky State in a doubleheader with the first pitch slated for 5:00 pm.
