Box Score 1 |
Box Score 2 FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – Nova Southeastern University's baseball team (3-0) took down the Alabama-Huntsville (0-3) in a doubleheader on Saturday afternoon, defeating the Chargers by scores of 6-1 and 9-1. Five Sharks left the yard across two games, giving the Sharks a total of nine home runs through its first three games.
Game 1 – NSU 6, UAH 1
The Sharks jumped out to an early lead in the bottom of the first inning. Jancarlos Cintron-Torres laced a leadoff double to right-centerfield, followed by Dylan Woods moving him over to third on a ground ball to second base. Brandon Gomez then sent a 1-0 fastball to centerfield, deep enough to score Cintron from third base.
The trio hit the repeat button in the bottom of the fifth inning, and made the score 2-0 after Gomez singled to centerfield. Jake Anchia stepped to the plate one batter later and launched his first dinger of the year of the right-field wall, giving the Sharks a 4-0 lead. The Sharks extended their lead to five runs in the bottom of the sixth, following a no-doubter off of the bat of Brendan Cutting, his first home run as a Shark.
While the offense was getting the job done at the plate, senior Matt Hardy was lights out on the mound, tossing six scoreless innings before being relieved by Ryan Maya. The Chargers would score their only run of the ballgame in the top of the seventh inning, chasing Maya out of the ballgame in favor of Cameron Churchill.
The Sharks earned that run back in the bottom of the seventh, as Jeremy Vasquez crushed his second homerun of the year into the Miami Dolphins practice facility, giving the Sharks a 6-1 lead.
Churchill went on the seal the deal, moving the Sharks' record to 2-0 on the year.
Game 2 – NSU 9, UAH 1
The story of game two was Joe DiBenedetto's performance on the mound and the offensive showcase the Sharks put on in the bottom of the third inning.
Andrew Liberty began the third inning hit brigade, sending a ball ¾ of the way up the netting in left field for his second big fly of the year. Gomez followed with a two-run home run to give the Sharks a 3-0 lead. A few hitters later, Kevin Suarez hit a sacrifice fly to right field, deep enough to score Vasquez from third. Joining the party was Michael Hernandez who smoked a two-RBI double off of the left-centerfield fence, extended the Sharks' lead to 6-0. Liberty capped the third inning with a single through the six-hole, scoring Hernandez from second.
The Sharks would score again in the fourth on back-to-back RBI-singles from Suarez and Diaz, giving DiBenedetto a comfortable nine-run cushion.
Alabama-Huntsville would score in the sixth inning, but that would be all for the Chargers as DiBenedetto gave way to freshman Bryce Van Horn who shut the door in the bottom of the seventh.
The Sharks will be back in action tomorrow against Barry at noon and again on Tuesday against St. Thomas. Both games will be played at the NSU Baseball Complex.
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