FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – The No. 16 Nova Southeastern baseball team (21-12) ran away with a 12-5 midweek non-conference victory over Sunshine State Conference foe Palm Beach Atlantic (16-16), thanks to steady run support across five innings to back up a stalwart pitching performance by freshman
Duncan Pastore.
INSIDE THE MATCHUP:
Score: Nova Southeastern –
12, Palm Beach Atlantic –
5,
Records: Nova Southeastern (21-12), Palm Beach Atlantic (16-16)
Location: NSU Baseball Complex | Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
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HOW IT HAPPENED:
The midweek starter, Pastore (3-0) pitched another gem, tossing six shutout innings with just four hits and one walk, striking out eight Sailfish batters to keep Palm Beach Atlantic at bay – meanwhile the offense kicked into high gear with the run support.
Although the scoring came in small bursts early, the Sharks reached the scoreboard in the bottom of the first, as
Ian Acevedo capitalized on a leadoff
Andrew Labosky walk with an RBI single that found the right center alley. When Labosky led off with a double in the third, the outcome was the same; with the designated hitter crossing the plate on
Garrett Wolforth's RBI groundout.
In the fourth, the Sharks really started to take hold for the night, and brought an end to starter Troy Klemm's night. Working against reliever Brad VanAsdlen,
Samuel Duran added an RBI as a hit batter, with another on
Brandon Chinea's walk. Labosky finally chipped in his own RBI on a sacrifice fly and Wolforth capped off the four-run frame with an RBI single up the right center alley.
Kicking off another four-run frame, this time against Tyler Hawks, Duran brought home
Christian Demby with an RBI single to left field, later coming home in tandem with
Mike Rojas as Labosky reached on an error.
Nathan Chevalier closed out the frame with an RBI fielder's choice that plated Chinea.
Although the Sailfish held the Sharks for two innings,
Bryan Diaz put the icing on the cake with a two-run homer to right center, blowing the Sharks lead out to 12-0.
Maintaining the shutout through solid performances out of the bullpen,
Anthony Difede and
Cameron Schmidt posted zeroes in the seventh and eighth. Although a three-run Danny Tufariello double capped a five-run ninth for the Sailfish, it was too little, too late, as the Sharks held on for the 12-5 win, splitting the year's outcomes with PBA at 2-2.
STATS OF THE NIGHT:
- With the win, coach Greg Brown surpasses his predecessor and current athletic director Michael Mominey for the second-most wins in program history, sitting at 303 total.
- The Sharks outhit the Sailfish 11-7 and earned seven walks on the night.
- Eight batters collected a hit for NSU.
- Rojas was 2-for-3, including a triple, with two runs.
- At 1-for-2 with a walk, Labosky scored twice and had two RBI.
- Wolforth was 2-for-4 with two RBI, while Demby was 2-for-4 with two runs scored.
- Both teams left eight runners aboard.
- The Sharks extend their series lead to 69-26 overall.
FROM COACH GREG BROWN
UP NEXT:
The Sharks host Saint Leo in a three-game Sunshine State Conference series on Friday and Saturday at the NSU Baseball Complex. For complete coverage of the action, follow the Sharks on Twitter @NSU_Baseball or visit the
schedule page on NSUSharks.com.
