BOCA RATON, Fla. – The month of March is certainly one the Nova Southeastern softball team wishes didn't have to come to an end. Following a pair of 6-4 and 3-1 victories over Lynn on Saturday, the Sharks not only collected their third straight Sunshine State Conference series sweep, but in the process, earned career win No. 400 for head coach Julie LeMaire. NSU finished the month with an overall record of 17-1 and now sits in a four-way tie atop the league standings.

INSIDE THE MATCHUP (GAME ONE)
Score: Nova Southeastern 6 (W: E. Hess, 8-4), Lynn 4 (L: M. Prickett, 4-11)
Records: Nova Southeastern (22-8, 8-3 SSC), Lynn (11-21, 0-14 SSC)
Location: Lynn Baseball and Softball Complex | Boca Raton, Fla.
Get Social: @NSUSharks and @NSU_Softball on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube
 
HOW IT HAPPENED:
TOP 5^th | NSU trailed 3-1 entering the fifth inning until a Haley Hendricks double scored Tia Williams to cut the deficit in half.

TOP 6^th | The momentum from the fifth carried over into the sixth as well, as a one-out, RBI-single off the bat of Samantha Burke knotted the score at 3-3 before the NSU third baseman gave the Sharks a 4-3 lead after coming across on a Sydney Lageyre sacrifice fly.

Top 7^th | The Sharks would end up tallying five runs over the final three innings of play, with a Haley Hendricks sac bunt adding to the advantage in the seventh. Three batters later, Burke tacked on another insurance run, scoring Allie Janowiak on a single into left.

INSIDE THE STATS:

• Eight of NSU's nine starters registered at least one hit, with Burke, Janowiak and Alexis Smith coming away with two apiece.
• The Sharks piled on five stolen bases in the win.
• Starting pitcher Emily Hess surrendered just one earned run in the complete-game victory, scattering seven hits and walking two while striking out three.

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INSIDE THE MATCHUP (GAME TWO)
Score: Nova Southeastern 3 (W: K. Ellard, 5-3), Lynn 1 (L: F. Miller, 6-8)
Records: Nova Southeastern (23-8, 9-3 SSC), Lynn (11-22, 0-15 SSC)

HOW IT HAPPENED:
TOP 1^st | The Sharks wasted little time getting on the scoreboard in the top of the first. Lagyre reached on an error to lead off the ball game before, two batters later, Williams smacked a double into right center to hand NSU the early 1-0 edge.

BOT 5^th | NSU starter Katelyn Ellard retired the first seven batters she'd face in the series finale, and carried a shutout into the fifth, until a two-out solo home run pulled Lynn back even at 1-1.

TOP 7^th | Still tied heading into the seventh, the Sharks found a bit of late-inning offense once again, as Williams notched her second double of the game. After a strikeout put two outs on the board, Hendricks delivered a liner to leftfield to prolong the inning before Madison Fine proved clutch with a two-run single to center to give NSU the lead once again.

BOT 7^th | Lynn put the lead-off batter on in the home half of the inning, yet Ellard would induce three straight flyouts to clinch the series sweep.

INSIDE THE STATS:

• Williams finished a perfect 3-for-3 with one RBI, one run and one stolen base.
• Fine and Hendricks produced two hits apiece, as NSU collected nine as a team.
• Ellard allowed just five hits and one walk across seven innings in the circle to improve to 5-3 this season.

UP NEXT
The Sharks will play host to Saint Leo for a three-game series set to begin next Friday at 6 p.m. For complete coverage, visit the schedule page on NSUSharks.com, or follow the Sharks on Instagram and Twitter at @NSU_Softball.