Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

MELBOURNE, Fla. – The Nova Southeastern University softball team (19-24, 7-17 SSC) ended its Sunshine State Conference schedule by splitting a doubleheader on the road against the Florida Tech Panthers (35-17, 14-10) Saturday afternoon. NSU dropped the first game, 5-3, before winning the second game in eight innings, 4-0.
 
GAME ONE
The Sharks scored a trio of runs in the first inning of game one and led heading into the sixth, but could not secure a series-tying victory. Overall, sophomores Dakota Villella (Hollywood, Fla.) and Rebecca Thornton (Lodi, Calif.) went 2-for-3 with a run scored. Thornton recorded a RBI, as did Taylor Rotz (So., Pittsburgh, Pa.) and Jessie Brown (Fr., Davie, Fla.).
 
NSU's lone offensive output in the first started with a four-pitch walk of Villella. Katrina Ammons (Sr., Jacksonville, Fla.) followed up with a bunt single to advance the runner. Villella scored on a double down the left field line from Rotz and Ammons came home on a single through the left side from Thornton. With two outs, Brown beat out a groundball to the shortstop, allowing Rotz to score. Thornton was thrown out at third base to end the rally.
 
FIT nearly tied the game in the bottom of the frame, scoring two runs on a series of singles. The Panthers had the tying runner reach third base, but NSU pitcher Thornton (14-12) drew a groundout to strand her.
 
Although the Sharks did not score for the remainder of the game, they blanked FIT from innings two to five. Thornton held FIT to two hits in the second inning, stranding another runner on third, and none from the third through the fifth.
 
However, the Sharks gave up three crucial runs in the fateful sixth inning. The first run crossed the plate on back-to-back wild pitches that allowed FIT to tie the game at 3-3. The batter, Jessica Callahan, was walked and eventually scored on a dropped fly ball with two outs. FIT scored its final run on a single up the middle from Brigit Godfrey. NSU went 0-for-3 with a two strikeouts in the seventh to end the game.
 
Thornton finished the game with three earned runs allowed over six innings. She held the Panthers to seven hits and two walks while striking out one batter.
 
GAME TWO
Game two saw no offense until an extra eighth inning, in which the Shark offense closed the game with four runs to win the final SSC game of the season. Maegan Lee (Sr., Miami, Fla.) (3-5) ended the game with eight shutout innings, holding FIT to four hits and a walk. Offensively, Villella went 2-for-4 with two RBI.
 
With two outs in the first inning, Ammons reached base on an error at first base. FIT pitcher Taylor Smith dropped the next 16 batters in a row, striking out five of them.
 
Meanwhile, a combination of solid pitching from Lee and strong defense mitigated the lack of offense. Florida Tech had four hits over the first three innings but could not score, even with the bases loaded in the third with no outs. Lee came through in the Sharks' tightest spot with a strikeout of Nicole Miller and a 123 double play.
 
The double play would be the first of three, all of which played a crucial role in blanking the Panthers. The second DP came in the fifth on a rare unassisted double play to the pitcher, in which Lee caught a line drive and slowly jogged out to second, catching the runner off base after she gave up on the play. In the sixth, Villella robbed a screamer on the right side and caught the runner off first for a L43 DP. All the while, NSU's middle infield made multiple plays to keep the ball in the infield, including back-to-back line outs to second and shortstop Haley Gonzales (Fr., Boca Raton, Fla.) in the fourth inning.
 
After 16 batters were retired in succession, Villella hit an infield single to break up the no hitter. She would be stranded at second, but the hit put the wheels in motion for a game-winning eighth inning.
 
The eighth began with a pinch-hit leadoff single from Thornton. Senior Krista Colburn (Meade, Colo.) followed up with a single to right field, while Gonzales reached on a fielder's choice. Thornton was out on the play, but another fielder's choice for Bridge filled the bases after the shortstop hesitated on the putout attempt.
 
With one out and the top of the order due up, Brenisha Bannister (Fr., Plantation, Fla.) hit an infield single to break up the scoreless game, plating pinch runner Shelby Cogan (Sr., Fort Lauderdale, Fla.). With bases still loaded, Villella doubled to left centerfield to drive in two runners. Lee would send home the final run on a sacrifice fly to left field. Florida Tech reached second in the bottom of the inning on a hit by pitch and wild pitch, but Lee drew two outs to clinch the victory.
 
NSU will return to the AD Griffin Sports Complex on Friday, May 1 to send off the 2015 senior class in the season-ending doubleheader against Palm Beach Atlantic. First pitch is slated for 5 p.m.