FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – After picking up a 1-0 victory on Friday evening, the Nova Southeastern softball team earned its sixth conference series win on Saturday, splitting a doubleheader with the visiting Tritons of Eckerd College. In the first game of the day, the Tritons topped NSU 5-3 before the Sharks responded with a 5-1 win in the final game to take the series, 2-1.
INSIDE THE MATCHUP (GAME ONE):
FINAL: Eckerd Tritons 5 (W: N. Van Gennerp, 7-16), Nova Southeastern Sharks 3 (L: L. Storrer, 12-10)
RECORDS: Nova Southeastern (24-16, 13-7 SSC), Eckerd (12-26, 4-16 SSC)
LOCATION: AD Griffin Sports Complex | Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
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HOW IT HAPPENED:
TOP 1ST | The Tritons scored their first run of the series early, taking a 1-0 lead off an RBI-triple by Kaylin Kramer.
BOTTOM 2ND | After reaching on a Triton error,
Alex Suzuki was advanced to second with a sacrifice bunt by
Miriam Schmoll. After a fly out by
Keeley Mayers, Suzuki was brought home on an RBI-single by
Stephanie Wang to tie the game, 1-1.
TOP 3RD | Eckerd took back the lead in the third, as an RBI-single by Ally Costa scored Avery Wakefield, making it 2-1. With the bases loaded, a walk added another for the Tritons, forcing an NSU pitching change as Schmoll entered the circle. An RBI-single by Kassy Torres scored two more, pushing EC's lead out to four runs, 5-1.
BOTTOM 3RD | Leading the inning off with a double to center, Kight was brought home two batters later as
Suka Van Gurp singled to right center, cutting Eckerd's lead to three runs, 5-2.
BOTTOM 5TH | With Lageyre at second, an error committed on Van Gurp's infield hit allowed her to reach while also giving Lageyre enough time to round third, making it all the way home on the throw to cut the deficit to two, 5-3, the eventual final score.
INSIDE THE STATS:
- NSU's six hits were spread amongst the offense, as not one Shark recorded multiple hits.
- Wang was 1-for-3 with her RBI, while Suzuki and Lageyre were both 1-for-3 and each scored once.
- Van Gurp was 1-for-4 with two RBI and Kight was 1-for-4 with one scored run.
- Starting pitcher Lexie Storrer took the loss, pitching the first 2.0 innings and allowing five runs, all earned, on three hits with three strikeouts to four walks. Schmoll finished out the last 5.0 innings and gave up no runs on five hits, striking out four.
BEYOND THE BOXSCORE:
- Eckerd's win breaks their 12-game loss streak.
INSIDE THE MATCHUP (GAME TWO):
FINAL: Nova Southeastern Sharks 5 (W: M. Schmoll, 13-5), Eckerd Tritons 1 (L: A. Costa, 2-4)
RECORDS: Nova Southeastern (25-16, 15-7 SSC), Eckerd (12-27, 4-17 SSC)
HOW IT HAPPENED:
BOTTOM 1ST | Unlike the first game, it was NSU to get on the board first. Kight reached on an error by EC's second baseman and was advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by
Tia Williams. Van Gurp then singled to left and stole second, putting runners on second and third. Two batters later, Mayers sent a ball deep to left center to score both baserunners and give NSU a 2-0 edge.
TOP 2ND | A half inning later, the Tritons cut the Sharks' lead to one run with a solo leadoff homer by Meredith McGinnis.
BOTTOM 5TH | The Sharks added three runs to their lead in the home half of the fifth, starting with an RBI-single by Van Gurp that scored leadoff batter Kight, before an error by Eckerd's rightfielder allowed her to make it to second. Another error by the Tritons allowed Suzuki to reach, while pushing Williams across the plate, who laid down a bunt-single two batters prior. The final run came on an RBI-single by Wang, plating Van Gurp for the 5-1 Sharks lead.
INSIDE THE STATS:
- Van Gurp finished 2-for-3 with one RBI and scored twice, while Mayers was 1-for-2 with two RBI.
- Wang and Suzuki were both 1-for-3 with an RBI apiece.
- Storrer and Williams were also 1-for-3, and Williams tallied one scored run.
- Schmoll earned her second win of the series, allowing just one run on six hits with two strikeouts.
BEYOND THE BOXSCORE:
- Today's split doubleheader brings the overall series to 39-18 in favor of the Sharks.
UP NEXT
The Sharks will hit the road next week as they travel to Melbourne, Fla. to take on the Florida Tech Panthers in a three-game series starting on Friday, April 12 with a single game starting at 3:00 p.m.
SHARKS ON SOCIAL MEDIA:
Follow along with live updates on Twitter by following @NSU_Softball.
