Lakeland, Fla. (May 2, 2010) The Nova Southeastern University baseball team split a Sunshine State Conference doubleheader at No.7 Florida Southern on Sunday afternoon, winning game one 7-2 before falling 6-3 in the second game. The Sharks now stand at 32-21 overall and 12-9 in SSC play while Florida Southern is 39-11 and 14-7 in SSC play.
The Sharks received a strong pitching effort from junior Isaac Hicks (Ft. Myers, Fla.) in the opening game. Hicks pitched a complete game four-hitter while striking out eight and walking just one. He improved to 8-0 on the season with the win.
Senior second baseman Eric McCans (Pembroke Pines, Fla.) and sophomore outfielder Nikko Echevarria (Abqaiq, Saudi Arabia) led NSU at the plate with three hits apiece. Both players scored two runs. Senior third baseman Rhys Roberts (Parkland, Fla.) went 2-4 with a run scored and two RBI while junior first baseman Dusty Maggs (Satellite Beach, Fla.) went 2-4 with three runs batted in.
Florida Southern struck first in the second game, cashing in for two runs in the bottom of the first inning off NSU starter Sean Tighe (So., Hobe Sound, Fla.). The Sharks answered in the top of the third inning, tying the game on a RBI double by Maggs and a wild pitch.
The Moccasins overtook the lead in the bottom of the fourth inning, scoring three runs on four hits and a NSU error.
With the bases loaded and two outs in the top of the fifth inning, NSU looked like it had a bases clearing double from freshman second baseman Blake Boyd (West Palm Beach, Fla.) but Florida Southern right fielder Kelvin Clark made a full extension diving catch to eliminate the scoring threat.
After Florida Southern added an insurance run in the fifth, NSU made on last comeback attempt in the top of the seventh inning. With one run already across and the bases loaded against closer Daniel Tillman, senior catcher Matt Fisher grounded out to end the game.
The Sharks host the Lynn Fighting Knights in their last SSC series beginning at 6 p.m. on Friday, May 7th at the NSU Baseball Complex.
