GREENWOOD, S.C. – Completing the series sweep at Lander, the No. 20 Nova Southeastern baseball team (13-6) earned a pair of big wins on Saturday at Stephen B. Dolny Stadium, topping the Bearcats 9-4 in regulation and 7-2 in extra innings, aided by huge swings in the latter innings.
INSIDE THE MATCHUP:
Game 1 Final Score: Nova Southeastern –
9, Lander –
4
Game 2 Final Score: Nova Southeastern –
7, Lander –
2 (10 Innings)
Records: Nova Southeastern (13-6), Lander (8-14)
Location: Stephen B. Dolny Stadium | Greenwood, S.C.
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HOW IT HAPPENED:
With a stalwart effort from left-handed freshman starter
Nathan Campbell and the NSU defense, the Sharks claimed an early lead and expanded their advantage through the middle innings. Campbell and company kept the Bearcats off the board through four frames, defending a 1-0 lead created by
Brandon Chinea's second-inning solo home run.
The Sharks grew their lead to five in the fifth, kicked off by
Daniel Irisarri and
Samuel Duran's dual scores on a Lander error, followed up shortly by RBI for
Christian Demby and Chinea.
However, the Bearcats livened up offensively in the home half, getting to Campbell for three runs and trimming the NSU lead to 5-3. The Sharks and Bearcats again traded scores in the seventh, started by
Ian Acevedo's RBI single in the top half.
Still riding a two-run cushion into the final frame, NSU created some breathing room. Irisarri capitalized on another Lander error to start the run, and Demby tacked on an RBI single. Capping the frame with a 9-4 advantage, freshman
Jarrett Hall collected his first career hit on an RBI single that plated Acevedo.
Going six innings deep in the doubleheader's first game, Campbell (4-1) earned the victory with four strikeouts, while
Brock Minich secured the game with two final scoreless innings to collect his fourth save. Chinea and Demby both went 2-for-5 with a pair of RBI.
Offensive output was quieted in the second game with fielding efforts highlighting the series finale. Despite the best efforts of starter
Nik Sanders in his second start of the year, NSU fell behind in the opening stanza as Bailey Connell scored on a first-inning double play ball. However, Sanders closed out the remaining four innings of his appearance without a Bearcats run.
In the meantime, the Sharks scored in back-to-back innings to first tie the finale then push ahead, thanks to RBI singles by
Duncan Pastore and Demby in the third and fourth innings, respectively. The game quickly went back to gridlock, as Lander knotted the score at 2-2 in the fifth – a score that would remain through the end of regulation thanks to the efforts of relievers
Anthony Difede and
JP Williams.
Opening up the 10th inning, the Sharks went on a scoring extravaganza – again with Irisarri leading the way, scoring first on a wild pitch to take the 3-2 lead. Demby followed with an RBI double, ahead of a Chinea RBI single -
Samuel Duran closed out the scoring on a triple that allowed him an opportunity to score on the throw for a five-run lead.
Securing the victory for Williams (1-0),
Kyle Kilbourne took over pitching duties in the 10th, allowing a single hit and striking out two to hold Lander scoreless and close out the 7-2 sweep-clinching win. Demby added to his total with a team-leading 3-for-5 performance, notching two RBI.
STATS OF THE DAY:
- With the victories, NSU moves to a 7-1 advantage in the series.
- Now moving to 4-1, Campbell went 6.0 innings with four strikeouts on the win in game one.
- Minich wrapped things up in the opener with two strikeouts and one hit in two innings.
- Williams went 3.0 scoreless innings for the second-game win, allowing two hits and striking out seven.
- Demby went 5-for-10 on the day with an .800 slugging percentage via a double and a triple, logging four RBI.
- The Sharks were 2-for-3 on stolen bases for the day, bringing the series total to eight.
- The Sharks notched four double plays on the weekend.
UP NEXT:
Nova Southeastern is back at home for a pair of midweek non-conference contests, March 12-13 against American International and Southern New Hampshire, respectively. For complete coverage of the action, follow the Sharks on Twitter @NSU_Baseball or visit the
schedule page on NSUSharks.com.