FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – No. 20 Nova Southeastern had little trouble with Palm Beach Atlantic on the road back on Valentine's Day earlier in the season. Now with a change of scenery, the Sharks will hope for similar results this weekend when they host the Sailfish for a three-game series set to begin on Friday at 6 p.m. ET.
 
The Sharks have won six of their last seven overall heading into the weekend, and four out of their previous five meetings with the Sailfish, including the 14-5 victory nearly two months ago.  
 
Shortstop Dylan Woods led a collective 19-hit attack with a 3-for-6 effort in the latest win over Palm Beach Atlantic. He and teammate Brendan Cutting each homered, while Jeremy Vasquez added three hits of his own to go along with three runs batted. In fact, six Sharks' players recorded multiple hits en route to the midweek victory, which at the time raised the team batting average to .323 through the first nine games of the season.
 
While Nova Southeastern has, for the most part, maintained that clip by hitting .313 through 33 games, the Sharks managed just a .198 team average a week ago against Barry. On paper, the Sharks were still able to claim two of three from the Buccaneers, but were heavily reliant on their five home runs after receiving a combined zero hits from key cogs Jancarlos Cintron and Brandon Gomez.
 
Currently ranked second in the Sunshine State Conference in RBI's with 41, Gomez totaled eight runs batted in versus the Sailfish a year ago and will be counted on again down the stretch of the regular season if the Sharks are to make it back to an NCAA South Regional for the third consecutive year.
 
A provisional member of the SSC, Palm Beach Atlantic reeled off four straight wins towards the tail end of March. However, the Sailfish have since dropped five of six and now enter the weekend at 21-15 on the season.  
 
Right-hander Josh Turner is expected to earn the start on the mound for the Sailfish on Friday. In his return from injury, the redshirt-senior has posted a 2-1 record with a 3.60 earned run average in eight starts this season. In two appearances against the Sharks in 2015, Turner struck out 10 batters in eight innings of work, while surrendering three earned runs.
 
For complete coverage throughout the weekend, log onto NSUSharks.com or follow the Sharks on Twitter @NSU_Baseball.