FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. - The Nova Southeastern Sharks won the Sunshine State Conference series but split the doubleheader against Eckerd on Saturday afternoon from the NSU Baseball Complex. NSU won the first game of the day 4-2 to clinch the series victory and dropped the finale 8-7 against the Tritons.
INSIDE THE MATCHUP
RECORDS: Nova Southeastern 26-9, 9-9 SSC; Eckerd 14-18, 7-8 SSC
SCORES: (Game One) Nova Southeastern 4, Eckerd 2; (Game Two) Nova Southeastern 7, Eckerd 8
LOCATION: NSU Baseball Complex | Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
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HOW IT HAPPENED (Game One)
Jeremy Cook got the starting nod in game two of the SSC series against the Tritons, setting the side down in order to open the contest. Eckerd capitalized on an error by the Sharks in the top of the second inning and scored the first run of the game. A pitchers' duel ensued thereafter, until the Sharks broke through on the scoreboard in the bottom of the sixth inning. Adan Fernandez tied the game with an RBI single, driving Duncan Pastore.
Cook twirled his best outing of the season, throwing seven innings, allowing one run, while striking out seven. Matt Ornelas relieved Cook in the eighth inning and retired the side in order. Nova Southeastern scored three runs in the bottom of the inning to take a 4-1 lead. Alejandro Macario worked a lead-off walk and stole second base to start the frame. Later in the inning, Macario scored on an RBI infield single by Daniel Irisarri, giving NSU a 2-1 advantage. The Sharks capped off the inning with two more runs after Adam Smith singled off the Eckerd pitcher and the ball was thrown away by the Tritons catcher.
Michael Dillion earned his second save of the weekend, ninth of the season, as the Sharks took the series with a 4-2 victory.
GAME TWO
Both offenses got off to fast starts in the series finale, as Eckerd scored a run to start the game, before NSU responded with three in the bottom of the first. The Sharks scored all three runs with two outs in the inning, with the tying run scoring on a wild pitch before a throwing error allowed NSU to plate two more runs.
The Sharks tacked on their fourth run of the game with an RBI single from Pastore in the bottom of the second inning. Eckerd responded with a pair of runs in the third inning, putting the score at 4-3. Nik Sanders scored on a wild pitch in the bottom of the frame, extending the Sharks lead to 5-3. Lucas Reid relieved Matt Kavanaugh in the top of the sixth inning and allowed a run, as Eckerd tied the game at 5-5.
The Tritons added three more runs in the top of the seventh inning to take a late lead over NSU, 8-5. In the bottom of the eighth inning, Kolbe Aven led off with a hit-by-pitch and moved into scoring position, as the Sharks loaded the bases following back-to-back walks by Bryce Hazzard and Alejandro Macario. A throwing error allowed two runs to score for NSU, putting the score at 8-7 and Pastore on second base with one out. Nova Southeastern was unable to tie the game and dropped the series finale, 8-7, against Eckerd.
UPCOMING
NSU hosts NAIA St. Thomas on Tuesday, April 12, from the NSU Baseball Complex. First pitch is set for 6 p.m.
