The Nova Southeastern Sharks put the finishing touches on a three-game sweep of the Florida Tech Panthers on Saturday. After a 2-1 win on Friday, the Sharks won both ends of Saturday’s doubleheader by scores of 8-0 and 6-3.
The Panthers managed just one hit in game one, with Cheyenne Nelson singled to lead off the bottom of the fourth. That hit extended her hitting streak to 18 and she had a double and a single in game two to get it to 19.
Alex Hendrian started game one for the Panthers against Emily Hess. The Sharks scored single runs in the second and third, before Samantha Burke’s RBI single in the fourth made it 3-0. Sydney Lageyre then tripled her home to give the home team a 4-0 lead.
That was the end of the day for Hendrian who went Hendrian 3 ⅔ innings allowing four earned runs on five hits. She walked two and struck out two, throwing 65 pitches (44 strikes). Allison Platon got the final out of the inning.
The game ended in the bottom of the fifth when the Sharks scored four, achieving the run-rule. Madison fine singled in a run before Haley Hendricks made it 6-0 with one of her own. Burke’s two-run single ended the game early and gave the Sharks an 8-0 win.
For more info: Florida Tech @ NSU Box Score (Game 1)
NSU (20-8, 6-3 SSC) got on the board first in game two against Panthers starter Samantha Guider. The Panthers would answer in the top of the third against Sharks starter Katelyn Ellard. Mikayla Wessel got on with a bunt single and raced home on a double by Nelson, tying the game 1-1.
Florida Tech (21-14, 6-9 SSC) took the lead in the bottom of the fourth against Hess, who relieved Ellard to start the inning. Tori Szrom and Whitney Ellis singled in the inning and Wessel walked, loading the bases. That brought Nelson top the plate and she stroked a single, bringing two runs in.
The Panthers had played great defense much of the day, with Nelson making a diving catch and Ashley Campbell turning an unassisted double play in the bottom of the fifth, as she snared a line drive at third and stepped on the bag. Tia Williams RBI double did give the Sharks a run, closing the gap to 3-2.
Things went south for the Panthers in the bottom of the sixth when NSU took advantage of three Panthers errors in the inning, leading to four runs. That made it 6-3, and the Panthers were unable to come back in the seventh.
For more info: Florida Tech @ NSU Box Score (Game 2)
Guider went 4 ⅔ innings, allowing two runs (one earned) on six hits. She walked one and struck out one, throwing 44 of her 64 pitches for strikes. Kelsie Rivers (4-3) took the loss, allowing two runs in 0.2 innings. Hendrian got the last two outs for the Panthers.
Florida Tech will return home Tuesday to take on Mercy College in a doubleheader. Game one starts at 4:00 p.m.