FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. - No. 4 Nova Southeastern ran their season-opening winning streak to 17 consecutive games victories as the Sharks defeated the Yellow Jackets of American International 6-1 on Tuesday evening from the NSU Baseball Complex.
INSIDE THE MATCHUP
Score: No. 4 Nova Southeastern 6, American International 1
Records: No. 4 Nova Southeastern 17-0, American International 4-3
Location: NSU Baseball Complex | Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
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HOW IT HAPPENED
Cooper Omans made the start for the Sharks, working out of a first inning jam with a double play. Nova Southeastern wasted little time getting on the board, as reigning Sunshine State Conference Player of the Week Adam Frank lined a single to center field and was moved into scoring position following a single from Duncan Pastore. Daniel Irisarri added the third consecutive single for NSU, driving Frank with as he beat out an infield single to shortstop. Nova Southeastern added another run in the inning, with Gabriel Rivera driving in Pastore on an RBI groundout.
Omans added two more strikeouts to his line in the top of the third, finishing his evening after three shutout innings of work. In the bottom half of the inning, Michael Avendano drove in Pastore with an RBI single to pad the NSU lead and give the Sharks a 3-0 advantage.
Kyle Morse relieved Omans in the top of the fourth inning, recording three strikeouts and working around a pair of two out base-runners. The freshman also escaped a jam in the top of the fifth, as Alex Hernandez picked off a runner at first base.
Jose Varela entered out of the bullpen in the top of the sixth, setting the side down in order to preserve the Sharks shutout. In the bottom of the inning, Gabriel Rivera just missed a home run and tripled off the center-field fence before scoring on an RBI single from Hernandez. Later in the inning, Stephen Schissler added a triple of his own and drove in Hernandez.
The two teams traded runs in the seventh inning, putting the score at 6-1. Nova Southeastern sealed their 17th consecutive win in the ninth, as Lucas Reid escaped a bases-loaded jam.
UPCOMING
No. 4 Nova Southeastern will take on Tampa in a Sunshine State Conference series from the NSU Baseball Complex beginning on Friday, March 11. The SSC series pits two of the top teams in Division II against each other for a battle of Sunshine State Conference supremacy.
