FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – NSU Baseball improved to 6-0 on the season, earning two victories against Missouri Southern on Saturday afternoon. The Sharks took the game one victory, in a slugfest, 17-10 and completed the doubleheader sweep with a 7-3 win in the nightcap. 

INSIDE THE MATCH-UP
RECORDS: Nova Southeastern 6-0, Missouri Southern 3-5
SCORES: (Game 1) Nova Southeastern 17, Missouri Southern 10; (Game 2) Nova Southeastern 7, Missouri Southern 3
LOCATION: Fort Lauderdale, Fla. | NSU Baseball Complex
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HOW IT HAPPENED
Daniel Rivero set the Lions down in order to begin the game, keeping the ball in the infield and closing the frame with a strikeout. Duncan Pastore got the scoring started in the bottom half of the first, driving in Epstein with an RBI single to right field. Rivero set down the first eight Missouri Southern batters he faced, before allowing a double.

Pastore added two more runs to his tally with a two-run triple to right field, scoring Michael Avendano and Epstein to push the lead to 3-0. Later in the inning, Pastore scored on a wild pitch to cap off a three-run inning.

The Lions offense scored seven runs in the top of the fourth inning, including a grand slam, to take a 7-4 lead over the Sharks. Missouri Southern's lead was short-lived, with NSU scoring three-runs to tie the game. Alex Hernandez led off the frame with his second home run of the season, cutting the deficit to two. Epstein added a sacrifice fly to drive in Alejandro Macario and Pastore's fourth RBI of the game drove in Schissler to tie the game 7-7.

Carlos Rey, after entering the game in the top of the fourth, kept the Lions off the scoreboard in the top of the fifth, adding two more strikeout to his ledger. The Sharks added two more runs in the bottom of the fifth, with Schissler driving in Hernandez and Macario later scoring on a wild pitch.

Rey struck out the side in the top of the sixth inning, keeping the momentum for the Sharks. Adan Fernandez hit a two-run home run in the bottom of the sixth, extending the NSU lead to 11-7. Missouri Southern tacked on three runs in the top of the seventh, putting the score at 11-10.

Nova Southeastern put the game away in the bottom of the eighth, plating six runs in the frame to take a 17-10 lead and earn the victory.
 
GAME TWO
Jeremy Cook made the start for NSU in game two of the doubleheader, pitching out of a jam with runners on second and third. The game turned into a pitchers' duel quickly, with both teams being held off the scoreboard for the first three innings in the seven-inning contest.

Adam Smith broke open the scoring with an RBI single, which scored Daniel Irisarri, to give NSU a 1-0 advantage. Cook held the Lions off the scoreboard through five. Fernandez homered again in the bottom of the fifth inning, putting the Sharks in front 3-1.

Cook was relieved by Jose Varela in the top of the sixth and the right-hander escaped the inning with a groundout. A two-run triple from Pastore put the game away for NSU, pushing the lead to 6-1 in the bottom of the sixth inning.

The Sharks closed the doubleheader sweep with a 7-3 victory, improving to 6-0 on the campaign.
 
UPCOMING
The Sharks return to the diamond against West Georgia on Sun., 2/13. First pitch is set for 12 p.m.