FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – The Nova Southeastern University softball team (17-11) will look to return to its winning ways after a tough stretch of Sunshine State Conference play as the Sharks will tackle Palm Beach Atlantic (16-8) Wednesday evening for a doubleheader in West Palm Beach, Fla. First pitch is slated for 6 p.m.
The Sharks stumbled against No. 17 Rollins, dropping three exciting games over the past weekend.
Senior Rachel Talenfeld (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) and sophomore Laura Saladrigas (Hollywood, Fla.) both lead the Sharks with a .386 batting average for the season, as the pair sits at eighth and tenth in the SSC, respectively. Talenfeld still stands top-three in conference for walks with 17 and stolen bases with 14, despite the weekends losses.
Saladrigas has doubled almost everyone on her team in RBI posting 27 after the weekend and leads the Sharks with four homeruns on the season.
From the mound the Sharks post a 2.42 earned run average. Sara DeMuth (Jr., Plant City, Fla.) leads the team with a 1.58 ERA with 99 strikeouts, placing her at third best in the SSC. Lexi Sarradet (Sr., Miami, Fla.) holds the best overall record for the Sharks at 6-2 after claiming only her second loss of the season this weekend.
About Palm Beach Atlantic
The Sailfish are 16-8 for the season after coming off a pair of wins against the Lynn University Fighting Knights and are set to face the Barry Buccaneers tonight at 7:30 p.m. Against Lynn, the Sailfish posted a total of 19 runs in the two games.
As a team the Sailfish post a .293 batting average to aid in their 115 runs scored for the season. Leading the way is Mackenzie Johnson who holds a .387 batting average and leads the team with 24 hits. Even though Caitlin Bouschet is held to a .295 average, she is team leader in extra base hits with six doubles, one triple and four homeruns. Bouschet also leads the team in walks, drawing 17 on the season.
From the mound, the Sailfish record a 3.33 ERA. Chris Donovan posts a 9-3 record with a 2.18 ERA. In 70.1 innings pitched, Donovan has allowed 57 hits, 32 walks but holds opponents to a .219 batting average.
The Series vs. Palm Beach Atlantic
This with be the 42nd and 43rd meeting between the two teams. Despite four losses to the Sailfish last season, the Sharks still hold a 31-10 series advantage.
In two sets of doubleheaders, NSU first dropped both games, 1-0 and 2-0, in West Palm Beach on March 24. On its own field, Nova Southeastern once against did not find success, falling 2-1 and 8-5 on April 14.
