Box Score BOX SCORE
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – The Nova Southeastern softball team (12-11, 1-3 SSC) came up short against the Florida Tech Panthers (11-12, 2-2 SSC), 4-3, after surrendering an early 3-0 lead in the top of the first, in Melbourne, Fla.
Erika Garcia (Jr., Pembroke Pines, Fla.) led the team in hits with two, one of which was a solo home run in the first inning, her first as a Shark.
NSU looked to end the game in the first, when
Samira Tanaka (Jr., Sao Paulo, Brazil) and
Chrissy Tabulov (Fr., Palm Harbor, Fla.) each got a base hit to start the inning.
Laura Saladrigas' (Sr., Hollywood, Fla.) big two-run RBI double, during the next at-bat gave the Sharks the early advantage. Saladrigas was thrown out at third, trying to extend the play. The next at-bat was big, when Garcia crushed a one-run shot over the right field fence to give the Sharks a comfortable 3-0 lead.
The game turned around when Panthers starting pitcher Amanda Smith was pulled after two outs in inning number one for the reliever Taylor Smith. T. Smith allowed only two hits and struck out seven batters to keep the Sharks off the board the rest of the game.
Jennie Von Doellen (Jr., Hudson Bay, Canada) (10-8) kept the Panthers off the scoreboard through the first two innings, before Taylor Peterson's RBI double in the third cut the Panthers deficit to two.
After another run coming across for FIT in the fourth, Von Doellen was able to get out of a bases-loaded jam in the fifth to preserve the Sharks slim, 3-2 lead.
It was in the bottom of the sixth when the Panthers were able to break through, scoring with two runs to give the Panthers its first lead and ultimately the win.
The Sharks will look to bounce back, as the two teams will turnaround for a doubleheader tomorrow, starting at 1 p.m.
The game will also be available via live auido HERE live stats HERE. Follow the Sharks on Twitter at www.Twitter.com/NSUSharks.
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