LAKELAND, Fla. – The Nova Southeastern softball team earned its first Sunshine State Conference series of the 2019 on Saturday afternoon, splitting a doubleheader with the host Florida Southern Moccasins. The Sharks came back to take game one, 5-2, before falling 3-0 in the third and final game of the series.
 
INSIDE THE MATCHUP (GAME ONE):
FINAL: Nova Southeastern Sharks 5 (W: M.Schmoll, 3-2), Florida Southern Moccasins 2 (L: K. Gault, 0-3)
RECORDS: Nova Southeastern (8-4, 2-0 SSC), Florida Southern (2-4, 0-2 SSC)
LOCATION: Chris Bellotto Field | Lakeland, Fla.  
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HOW IT HAPPENED:
 
BOTTOM 1ST | Similar to Friday night's series opener, the Moccasins were the first to reach the board with an inside the park home run down the left field line by Celia Higgins.
 
BOTTOM 3RD | The Mocs added to the lead in the third with a ground out by Higgins, who scored Makayla Deuberry, who led the inning off with a walk and advanced on a Shark error.
 
TOP 4TH | The Sharks responded in the next half inning, tying the game 2-2 with a two-RBI double by Keeley Mayers to right center. After a pop out by Kayla Kight, a throwing error by FSC allows Mayers to score, giving the Sharks the lead, 3-2.
 
TOP 6TH | Aubry Hernandez led the inning off with a double to center, and after back-to-back outs, Mayers was hit by a pitch and Kight was walked to load the bases. After a Florida Southern pitching change, Tia Williams singled to center, bringing home Mayers and Alex Suzuki, who pinch ran for Hernandez, to tally NSU's final two runs and eventual winning score of 5-2.
 
INSIDE THE STATS:
 

• Mayers was 2-for-2 with two RBI and two scored runs.
• Hernandez was 2-for-3 and scored once, while Williams was 1-for-3 with two RBI.
• Lageyre was 1-for-3 and also scored once.
• Miriam Schmoll earned the win in the circle, pitching all 7.0 innings and allowing two runs (1 ER) on five hits with three strikeouts.
• The Sharks outhit the Mocs 6-5 and were walked four times.

 
BEYOND THE BOXSCORE:
 

• The last time the Sharks won eight games straight was Mar. 22-29, 2014.

 
INSIDE THE MATCHUP (GAME TWO):
FINAL: Florida Southern Moccasins 3 (W: A. Ehlers, 3-1), Nova Southeastern Sharks 0 (L: L. Storrer, 5-3)
RECORDS: Nova Southeastern (8-5, 2-1 SSC), Florida Southern (3-4, 1-2 SSC)
 
HOW IT HAPPENED:
 
BOTTOM 1ST | Once again, the Mocs went ahead in the first inning, as an RBI single by Meghan Sexton scored Jadin Dewith for a 1-0 FSC edge. A throw from leftfielder Brooke Ferguson to Williams at short stop to the catcher, Hernandez, was able to catch FSC's Jessica Trana at the plate to hold off another Florida Southern tally.
 
BOTTOM 5TH | Florida Southern's two other runs came in the fifth as an RBI-triple by Samantha Prosser plated Deuberry and an RBI-single by Higgins scored Prosser.
 
INSIDE THE STATS:
 

• The Sharks tallied seven hits to FSC's six, with Hernandez leading with two from three at bats.
• Brooke Ferguson, Suka Van Gurp, Schmoll and Mayers were all 1-for-3 while Kight was 1-for-2.
• NSU did not draw one walk through the 7.0 innings.
• Lexie Storrer was handed the loss after tossing 6.0 innings with three runs allowed off six hits. She struck out four batters and walked two.  

 
BEYOND THE BOXSCORE:
 

• The split doubleheader ties the overall series 28-28.

 
UP NEXT
 
The Sharks will take a week long break from competition before heading to Clermont, Fla. to compete in THE Spring Games on Sunday, Feb. 24 and 25. The Sharks will play three-straight games against Davenport before wrapping up with Kentucky Wesleyan.
 
 
SHARKS ON SOCIAL MEDIA:
 
Follow along with live updates on Twitter by following @NSU_Softball.