FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. –
Jake Anchia and
Dylan Harris each reached career milestones, as No. 20 Nova Southeastern totaled three more home runs Sunday to complete the Sunshine State Conference series sweep with a dominant 16-5 win over Palm Beach Atlantic. Harris became only the fifth player in SSC history to reach 300 career hits following a solo homer to lead off the fifth inning before Anchia tied the program's all-time home run mark with his 35
th career blast later in the same frame. Now 9-3 in league play, the Sharks outscored the Sailfish by a combined 37-14 margin throughout the weekend..
INSIDE THE MATCHUP:
Score: Nova Southeastern 16, Palm Beach Atlantic 5
Records: Nova Southeastern (17-9, 9-3 SSC), Palm Beach Atlantic (18-11, 7-5 SSC)
Location: NSU Baseball Complex | Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
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HOW IT HAPPENED:
The Sharks built upon Saturday's 14-run output, ripping off 16 more runs on 17 hits in Sunday's finale. Anchia continued his recent tear by putting Nova Southeastern quickly on the board with a run-scoring single in the bottom of the first.
Ian Acevedo then followed with a sacrifice fly to center to give the Sharks the early 2-0 edge.
That margin grew to 5-0 following three more runs in the second when
Christian Demby blew the ball game wide open with a two-run bomb, his first in a Shark uniform, in the home half of the third.
A two-run single in the fifth narrowed the gap to 8-2, yet, as they had all series long, the Nova Southeastern bats proved too strong for the Palm Beach Atlantic pitching. Entering the sixth just one hit shy off 300 in his career, Harris reached that mark with a no-doubt dinger to deep left to ignite an eventual five-run inning. The Sharks hit double-digits after
Andrew Liberty drove an RBI-double into the gap in left center. In the ensuing at-bat, Anchia was at it again, lifting a two-run homer off the foul pole in left to tie former Shark
Brandon Gomez atop the NSU home run list.
The margin ballooned to 15-2 in the seventh after Demby's third RBI of the afternoon as the Sharks coasted to their 11
th win in their last 14 contests.
STATS OF THE NIGHT:
- Starter Derik Beauprez improved to 4-1 on the year, tossing five innings, while striking out four and surrendering two unearned runs.
- Anchia, Demby and Harris combined to go 11-for-16 at the plate with three home runs, 10 RBI and four runs scored.
- Nine different players scored at least one run in the victory, including a team-high four by Liberty.
- Nova Southeastern starting pitchers collectively allowed just four earned runs in 19 innings of work throughout the series.
- The Sharks racked up at least 12 hits in all three series wins, and have now totaled double-digit hits in each of their last six SSC games.
UP NEXT:
SSC play will roll on when NSU hosts Rollins next Thursday at 6 p.m. for the start of a three-game set. For complete coverage of the action, follow the Sharks on Twitter @NSU_Baseball or visit the
schedule page on NSUSharks.com.
