FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – Down 2-0 in the bottom of the sixth inning of game three, the Nova Southeastern softball team exploded for five runs to grab a 5-2 win, earning a 2-1 series victory over Rollins College on Saturday afternoon at the AD Griffin Sports Complex.
The Sharks dropped the first part of the doubleheader earlier in the day, 4-3.
With the split, NSU continues to stay above .500 with a 22-20 overall record and 10-8 against SSC members while Rollins falls to 24-20 on the season and 6-9 in the league.
GAME ONE
Down 1-0 in the bottom of the third inning, the Sharks were able to knot the game as
Dakota Villella stole third and as Rollins' catcher overthrew the base, Villella had the chance to cross the plate.
Rollins took back the lead in the top of the fourth with a solo homer by Brianne Lint, before NSU used the home-half of the inning to take their first lead of the game. With one out,
Erica Winter drew a walk and a single down the right-field line by
Samantha Gonzales pushed her all the way to third. After Gonzales stole second, and RBI-single by
Mary Acosta brought Winter home and a sacrifice fly by the next batter,
Dana Edmundson, plated Gonzales for the 3-2 NSU lead.
In the top of the seventh, Rollins took advantage of an error by the Sharks to tie the game once more, 3-3, forcing extra innings, before using another error committed by NSU to grab the lead and the eventually victory, 4-3.
As a whole, the Tars outhit the Sharks, 12-7. Gonzales finished 2-for-3 with one scored run while Winter was 1-for-2, scored once and drew two walks.
Winter (6-8) took the loss, pitching all 8.0 innings with four runs allowed (2 ER).
Rollins' relief pitcher, Amanda Guglietta was awarded the winning, pitching the final 4.2 innings and allowing no runs on three hits. Sarah Piening started in the circle, tossed 3.1 innings and allowed three runs (2 ER) on four hits.
GAME TWO
Rollins was the only team to score through five innings in the nightcap, earning a 2-0 lead off RBI-hits by Kacie Booth in the second and fourth innings.
It wasn't until the bottom of the sixth inning that the Sharks' bats decided to heat up. NSU's leadoff hitter, Edmundson, started the inning with a bomb to right field, making it all the way to third. An RBI-single by the next batter, Villella, brought her home for the first run of the inning, cutting RC's lead in half, 2-1. Back-to-back singles by Storrer and
Alex Suzuki allowed Villella to score to tie the game, 2-2, and after a foul out by
Ashley Roe, a bunt laid down by
Sydney Lageyre just inches from home plate loaded the bases. A single through the left side by Winter gave Nova Southeastern the lead, 3-2, before an RBI-single by Gonzales scored both Lageyre and Suzuki for the 5-2 NSU advantage and eventual winning tally.
Roe finished 2-for-3 and Gonzales was 1-for-3 with two RBI. Villella, Storrer and Suzuki were all 1-for-3 with one run scored and Suzuki tallied one RBI.
Storrer (16-8) continues her home-field winning ways, picking up the victory after pitching 7.0 innings and allowing two runs on nine hits with three strikeouts.
Guglietta was handed the loss, tossing just 0.1 innings, but allowing the go ahead run for the Sharks.
NSU will hit the road next weekend to take on neighbor Palm Beach Atlantic in a three-game series beginning on Thursday at 6:00 p.m. For live coverage, head to NSUSharks.com, or follow @NSU_Softball on Twitter.
