FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – No. 13 Nova Southeastern (15-6) kept a hot offensive midweek going on Wednesday at the NSU Baseball Complex, dealing out a commanding 18-7 victory over No. 9 Southern New Hampshire (12-4) – the Sharks' third win over a ranked team this season. Again proving dominant at home, the Sharks earn their sixth consecutive home win.
INSIDE THE MATCHUP:
Score: Nova Southeastern –
18, Southern New Hampshire –
7
Records: Nova Southeastern (15-6), Southern New Hampshire (12-4)
Location: NSU Baseball Complex | Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
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HOW IT HAPPENED:
Although it was the Penmen who notched the first score on the board Wednesday, the offensive response from the Sharks was clear, closing the bottom of the first with a 3-1 lead thanks to a two-run
Garrett Wolforth home run, quickly followed by a
Christian Demby RBI single.
Not a squad to lie down, SNHU tacked up 3 runs in the top of the second to claim their second lead of the game on a Kevin Alexy RBI double to right center. However, again the Sharks response was immediate, taking a one-run advantage in the home half via a
Duncan Pastore RBI double – the freshman coming around for the go-ahead run as Wolforth reached on an error.
The third inning was the turning point when the Sharks took charge in both facets of the game, with starter
Ryan Maya settling in for his first blank SNHU frame, while NSU batted though the order and unleashed a six-run outburst to swing the momentum, as
Christian Kuzemka,
Jeffrey Cyr,
Daniel Irisarri – and of course Wolforth and
Ian Acevedo – tacked up RBI to move ahead 11-4.
Maya combined with
Cameron Schmidt and
Anthony Difede to limit the Penmen to just one run across a four-inning stretch. In the meantime, the Sharks started the scoring on another big frame with an
Ian Acevedo RBI walk as four consecutive NSU batters produced RBI – via a two-run single for Demby, an RBI single for
Samuel Duran and a sac fly for
Nathan Chevalier – granting the 16-5 advantage. Two more for NSU in the sixth on RBI singles from Pastore and Demby, and NSU grabbed a 2019-high run count as the game closed out in an 18-7 win.
STATS OF THE GAME:
- All nine starters both collected a hit and scored a run in Wednesday's non-conference tilt.
- Demby led the hitting effort with a 4-for-5 performance that accounted for four RBI and two runs scored.
- Acevedo also chipped in a 3-for-5 night with two RBI and two runs, while rookie Pastore was a season-best 3-for-6 with three runs and two RBI.
- Earning his first win of the season, Maya went a team-high 4.0 innings, allowing five hits and one earned run, striking out two with no walks.
- The opposition have committed seven errors apiece in each of the last two games, both midweek contests.
FROM COACH GREG BROWN
UP NEXT:
The Sunshine State Conference weekend series is just over the horizon, as NSU will face Florida Tech in a three-game set starting at 6:00 p.m. Friday at the NSU Baseball Complex, followed by a Saturday doubleheader at 1:00 p.m. For complete coverage of the action, follow the Sharks on Twitter @NSU_Baseball or visit the
schedule page on NSUSharks.com.
