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2020 NSU vs Washburn. Game 1. Softball. 2/8/20.
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Game Recap: Softball |

Sharks Push Win Streak To Double Digits With West Liberty Sweep

NSU earns third run-rule win of the season in game one

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – Continuing their winning ways, the Nova Southeastern softball team picked up a pair of victories over the West Liberty Hilltoppers on Sunday afternoon at the AD Griffin Sports Complex. The Sharks needed just five innings in game one to mercy rule the visitors, 9-0, before winning the nightcap, 7-2.
 
INSIDE THE MATCHUP (GAME ONE – 5 INN.):
FINAL: Nova Southeastern Sharks 9 (W: E. Hess, 9-6), West Liberty Hilltoppers 0 (L: R. Bennington, 1-1)
RECORDS: Nova Southeastern (17-9), West Liberty (6-4)
LOCATION: AD Griffin Sports Complex | Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
FOLLOW US: @NSUSHARKS and @NSU_Softball on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube
 
HOW IT HAPPENED:
 
BOTTOM 2ND | With two outs on the board, Juliana Speranza doubled into deep left centerfield and was brought home on the next play as an error by WLU's right fielder on a single by Alexis Smith, giving NSU a 1-0 edge.
 
BOTTOM 3RD | An inning later, with Maddox at third, Williams at second and Suzuki at first, a fielder's choice by Anina Fernandez allowed Maddox to score to push NSU's lead to 2-0. The next batter, Speranza, once again sent a double to the warning track, this time scoring two for a 4-0 Shark advantage.
 
BOTTOM 4TH | Leading the inning off with a walk and stealing second, Haley Hendricks was brought home on a Sydney Lageyre single through the left side. After a West Liberty pitching change, the Sharks loaded up the bases thanks to an error by the Hilltoppers and a Sam Sisco single, teeing up Tia Williams for a base-clearing three-RBI triple to make it 8-0 in favor of the Sharks. The final run of the game came from the next batter, as an Alex Suzuki ground out provided enough time for Williams to score to finish the game at 9-0.
 
INSIDE THE STATS:
 
  • The Sharks outhit the Hilltoppers 11-1, with three batters registering multiple hits. Lageyre was the offensive leader, finishing a perfect 3-for-3 with one RBI and scored once.
  • Williams went 2-for-3 with a game-high three RBI and scored twice while Speranza was also 2-for-3 with two RBI, two doubles and one run scored.
  • Maddox, Sisco, Fernandez and Smith were all 1-for-3, with Fernandez and Smith each registering an RBI.
  • Emily Hess added another win to her resume, pitching the full 5.0 innings and striking out five batters, not allowing one walk with only one hit.
 
BEYOND THE BOXSCORE:
 
  • Lageyre was caught stealing in the bottom of the third, her first time getting caught in 18 attempts this season.
  • This was Hess' third shutout of the season, her second-straight. This was also her third game only allowing one hit, and also the second game in a row.
 
INSIDE THE MATCHUP (GAME TWO):
FINAL: Nova Southeastern Sharks 7 (W: S. Foster, 9-3), West Liberty Hilltoppers 2 (L: A. Paterson (2-1)
RECORDS: Nova Southeastern (18-9), West Liberty (6-5)
 
HOW IT HAPPENED:
 
BOTTOM 2ND | The Sharks grabbed a 3-0 lead in the second inning, taking advantages of WLU mistakes and an RBI-single by Sisco. After Speranza single to shortstop, a throwing error advanced her to second before a passed ball and a throwing error allowed enough time for her to make it all the way home. Soon after with runners on second and third, the aforementioned Sisco single scored Hendricks and a pause in the Hilltoppers' defense allowed enough time for Lageyre to steal home for the 3-0 edge.
 
TOP 5TH | West Liberty made it a one-run game in the fifth as Allie Cook doubled to left center to score one before an error by the Sharks pushed another runner across to bring it to 3-2.
 
BOTTOM 5TH | NSU responded in the home half of the inning as a sacrifice bunt by Williams advanced Sisco to second and Maddox to third before the next batter, Suzuki, sent a sacrifice fly into right field, allowing Maddox to score to push the Sharks' lead to 4-2.
 
BOTTOM 6TH | Speranza led the inning off with a single before a walk drawn by Smith pushed her into scoring position. Ryleigh Langwell entered to pinch run for Speranza before a single through the right side by Lageyre loaded the bases for NSU. The next batter, Maddox, grounded out to second to score Langwell before an RBI-single by Sisco combined with an error by the Hilltoppers allowed both Smith and Lageyre to score, giving the Sharks a 7-2 lead.
 
INSIDE THE STATS:
 
  • Sisco was the second Shark in as many games to register a hit in each of their at bats, as she finished 4-for-4 with two RBI.
  • Lageyre went 2-for-4 and Speranza was 2-for-3, scoring twice and once, respectively.
  • Maddox was 1-for-2 with an RBI and run scored.
  • Savannah Foster pitched all 7.0 innings and allowed two runs (1 ER) on just one hit, striking out six.
 
BEYOND THE BOXSCORE:
 
  • The Sharks are now on a 10-game win streak, and today's wins pushed them to a 16-4 record four at home.
  • This was Foster's first complete game with only one hit allowed.
 
UP NEXT
 
Nova Southeastern will host Kutztown University in a non-conference doubleheader on Tuesday evening starting at 5:00 p.m.
 
SHARKS ON SOCIAL MEDIA:
 
Follow along with live updates on Twitter by following @NSU_Softball.
 
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