TAMPA, Fla. - Despite rallying, and bringing the tying run just 90 feet away, the Nova Southeastern Sharks were defeated for the first time in the NCAA South Region Tournament against top-seeded Tampa 8-7 on Saturday afternoon. The Sharks and Spartans will face-off in a winner-take-all game on Sunday.
INSIDE THE MATCHUP
RECORDS: Nova Southeastern 36-16, Tampa 43-11
SCORE: Nova Southeastern 7, Tampa 8
LOCATION: Tampa, Fla. | UT Baseball Field
GET SOCIAL: Instagram & Twitter – NSU_Baseball
HOW IT HAPPENED
TOP 1ST: Adam Frank and Duncan Pastore put immediate pressure on the Spartans by recording two consecutive base hits, putting runners on first and third. The Sharks were unable to capitalize in the inning, grounding into a double play and ending the threat.
BOTTOM 1ST: NSU starting pitcher Cooper Omans pitched out of his own jam, fielding a comeback grounder to strand runners on the corners.
BOTTOM 2ND: Tampa scored six runs in the inning, two on a home run, before Ryan Bradarich entered in relief with the bases loaded. Bradarich let two of his inherited runners score, but the Spartans led 6-0 in the early innings.
TOP 6TH: Frank broke up a string of ten consecutive outs for the Sharks with a single to left field and later came into score on an RBI single from Pastore, putting the score at 8-1.
TOP 8TH: Alex Hernandez led off the frame with a double to left and moved to third on a groundout by Hazzard. Tyler Epstein sent a ball to right field, which allowed Hernandez to score on the second straight productive out for NSU, as the Sharks trailed 8-2.
TOP 9TH: With two outs in the inning, things looked bleak for the Sharks, but Michael Avendano started a rally with a line drive single to right and drove in Adan Fernandez to put the score at 8-3. Nik Sanders – entering as a pinch hitter – worked a walk and Hernandez did the same to load the bases, forcing Tampa to take out their starting pitcher. Avendano scored on a wild pitch and Hazzard recorded the third straight walk to keep the bases loaded and bring the tying run to the plate. The Spartans made their third pitching change of the inning, which still didn't faze NSU, as Epstein walked and put the tying run on first with Frank coming to hit. Frank lined a single to center, scoring two, and moved the tying run to third base. Tampa called upon their fourth pitcher in the inning, with the Sharks holding all momentum. The bases were loaded once again but the NSU rally fell short, as Nova Southeastern dropped the contest 8-7.
Ryan Bradarich, entering as a reliever, threw the final 6.2 innings - the longest outing of his collegiate career – and kept the Sharks in the game.
UPCOMING
Nova Southeastern and Tampa will face-off for the final time on the 2022 season on Sunday, May 22, at 1 p.m. The winner will advance to the Super Regional Tournament.
