MONTGOMERY, Ala. – Ashley Connor tossed her seventh complete-game shutout of the season, while
Madison Fine broke open the ball game with a bases-clearing double in the fourth inning, as the Nova Southeastern softball team kicked off the NCAA South Region Tournament with a commanding 5-0 victory over Alabama Huntsville on Thursday in Montgomery, Ala. The Sharks will now advance to the winner's bracket, where they'll face host Auburn Montgomery on Friday at 2 p.m. ET.
INSIDE THE MATCHUP
Score: Nova Southeastern 5 (W: A. Connor, 18-3), Alabama Huntsville 0 (L: L. Murphy, 18-9)
Records: Nova Southeastern (38-12), Alabama Huntsville (38-16)
Location: AUM Softball Complex | Montgomery, Ala.
Get Social: @NSU_Softball on Instagram and Twitter
HOW IT HAPPENED:
BOT 1
st | The Sharks threatened right away in the bottom of the first after an error by the UAH shortstop helped load the bases with one out. However, NSU would fail to capitalize on the early opportunity, as the Chargers wiggled out of the jam by inducing a strikeout and a lineout to second.
TOP 5
th | Connor would work around a pair of walks in the top of the fifth to keep the game scoreless heading into the home half of the inning.
BOT 5
th | Limited to just three hits through the first four innings,
Samantha Burke and
Sydney Lageyre sparked the NSU offense with a pair of singles to put two runners on with one out. A
Ryleigh Langwell walk loaded the bases before Sunshine State Conference Player of Year
Tia Williams lined a single into right to score the game's first run. In the ensuing at-bat, Fine would give the Sharks some much-needed breathing room, roping a double down the left-field line to extend the lead to 4-0.
BOT 6
th | Langwell provided some more insurance in the sixth with a two-out triple to right that plated
Alexis Smith.
TOP 7
th | A key 6-3 double play cleared the bases in the seventh before Connor forced a routine grounder to short to secure the victory.
INSIDE THE STATS:
- Connor scattered five hits while walking two and striking out four in her 18th win of the season.
- Eight of the nine players in the NSU lineup recorded at least one hit. Lageyre and Sidney Swantic each registered two apiece.
- Each of the first four batters in the NSU lineup scored a run.
- The Sharks tallied seven of their 10 hits in the fifth and sixth innings.
- The win marked the Sharks' second this season over UAH after defeating the Chargers 6-1 back on Feb. 6.
UP NEXT
The Sharks will look to continue their winning ways when they face top-seeded Auburn Montgomery on Friday at 2 p.m. ET. NSU dropped a 6-3 decision to the Warhawks in its season opener on Feb. 5. For complete coverage, visit the
schedule page on NSUSharks.com or follow the Sharks on Instagram and Twitter at @NSU_Softball.
