FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – With the month of May now in full swing, and the postseason lurking just weeks down the road, the current Nova Southeastern club has started to show some signs that encouragingly resemble the 2016 club that ran through Cary, North Carolina en route to the program's first-ever national title.
The Sharks heated up midway through the month of March a year ago, finishing with a record of 23-5 down the stretch of the regular season. Although it's taken them a bit longer to pick up steam this time around, don't look now, but the Sharks have won six straight and seven of their previous eight ball games overall. Furthermore, Nova Southeastern's current record of 31-15 is only 1.5 games off the 33-14 pace set by the Sharks at this exact time last season.
On Wednesday, Nova Southeastern jumped up to No. 3 in the latest NCAA South Region rankings, which, oddly enough, was also where head coach Greg Brown's team was seeded in 2016 prior to its historic run. So, with Florida Tech as its only remaining opponent on the regular season schedule, Nova Southeastern will look to take care of business this weekend to give itself yet another chance for some postseason magic.
The Sharks flip-flopped with Florida Southern in the newly released regional poll after sweeping the Moccasins at home a week ago. Right-handed starter Derik Beauprez tossed seven shutout innings in game two of the series on his way to earning Sunshine State Conference Pitcher of the Week, while a combined seven different players homered including Dylan Woods, who increased his season total to nine with a pair of dingers in the series finale.
As a part of the most decorated senior class in program history, Woods will be one of 12 Sharks set to play their final home series at the NSU Baseball Complex this weekend. Since 2015, the senior group has won a combined 114 games, amassing a .756 win percentage at home. In addition to capturing last year's national championship, they also helped guide the Sharks to the program's first-ever conference and regional crowns.
Florida Tech will enter the weekend desperate for wins, though, as it currently sits on the outside-looking-in of the postseason picture. Positioned as the region's ninth-best club at the moment, the Panthers have their work cut out for them with NSU and Eckerd remaining on their schedule.
If the Panthers are to make a run at their first postseason berth since 2015, it'll likely revolve around their pitching staff and defense. Through 44 games, Florida Tech leads the league in fielding percentage (.974), while ranking second in team ERA (3.99).
A large portion of that pitching success has fallen on the arms of starters Ty Cohen and Andy Marzheuser. The leaders of the Florida Tech staff have each logged at least 65 innings this season, and are among the top-two in the SSC with six wins apiece. In his most recent outing against Rollins, Marzheuser fanned nine batters in eight scoreless frames without registering a single walk.
NSU took two of three from FIT on the road in 2016. For complete coverage throughout the weekend, log onto NSUSharks.com or follow the Sharks on Twitter @NSU_Baseball.
