FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – The No. 21 Nova Southeastern Sharks (27-13) picked apart the Keiser Seahawks (30-16) in midweek action on Tuesday at the NSU Baseball Complex. The Sharks used a big six-run third inning as a catalyst to three consecutive scoring frames in the double-digit non-conference victory.
INSIDE THE MATCHUP:
Final Score: Nova Southeastern –
11, Keiser –
1
Records: Nova Southeastern (27-13), Keiser (30-16)
Location: NSU Baseball Complex | Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
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HOW IT HAPPENED:
Multiple arms set the tone for the Sharks defensively, while the offense brought the bats and put up double digits for the fifth time since the start of April. Paced by Gabe Rodriguez in his first start of the year, the Sharks put eight pitchers through the hill on Tuesday. With only one slip-up via a pair of walks and an error in the top of the fifth, the pitching staff was nearly perfect, responding to the lone score by not allowing any further hits in the game. Tossing the third with one hit and one strikeout, Jarrett Krzyzanowski (W, 1-2) claimed the win for the staff.
Shortstop
Brandon Chinea's patient full count leadoff walk in the third set the tone for a renewed plate approach and the Sharks offense delivered in a big way. Second baseman
Jeffrey Cyr hooked a ball outside a crashing Keiser first baseman in bunt defense for a double, scoring Chinea and
Mike Rojas on the play. After
Duncan Pastore moved him up, Cyr came home on a wild pitch from starter Erick Vargas. Following the first of four KU pitching changes, first baseman
Garrett Wolforth added an RBI single and center fielder
Samuel Duran chipped in a sacrifice fly. Right fielder
Bryan Diaz capped off a six-run third frame with an RBI double sliced deep down the right field line.
Designated Hitter
Andrew Labosky's two-out RBI double edged the left field chalk to get NSU going again in the fourth and Wolforth tabbed another RBI single to cash in Labosky. Back at the plate in the fifth, Diaz took another one deep down the right field line – this time for an RBI triple – coming home on a Chinea RBI single straight up the middle to reach a 10-1 advantage.
Kept off the scoreboard for two innings, reserve catcher
Alex Hernandez gave NSU one more run, finding the left line for an RBI double to plate pinch runner
Gil Torres.
STATS OF THE NIGHT:
- The Sharks reach double-digit hitting for the seventh time in the last eight games, collecting 13 against the Seahawks.
- The hits total was generated by nine different Sharks with a base hit.
- Leading the way at the plate, Wolforth went 3-for-4 with two RBI and a run.
- Diaz was also 2-for-4 with two RBI and one run, while Labosky went 2-for-3 with two doubles, one RBI and two runs.
- Gaining steam in April, Diaz has hit .625 (10-for-16) with four doubles, a triple and a home run over the past eight games (with only two starts), driving in seven runs and scoring six of his own.
- The run game was working for the Sharks, collecting five steals on the night.
- Making his first start of the year, Rodriguez went 2.0 innings with three hits, no runs, no walks and one strikeout.
HEAR FROM HEAD COACH GREG BROWN
UP NEXT:
A huge weekend for the newly-minted Sunshine State Conference leader Sharks, heading to Saint Petersburg to face Eckerd in a three-game league series, Thursday and Friday (April 18-19. NSU holds a half-game lead over Eckerd and Tampa after last weekend's sweep at Lynn. For complete coverage of the action, follow the Sharks on Twitter @NSU_Baseball or visit the
schedule page on NSUSharks.com.
