ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. – The Nova Southeastern University baseball team (7-7) won their first game of a Saturday afternoon doubleheader against the Flagler College Saints (6-6) 2-0, but fell in the series finale by a score of 3-2.
Game 1 – NSU 2, Flagler 0 The Sharks were without a hit until the seventh, but starter
Matt Hardy (3-0) didn't let the pressure of a scoreless game phase him, holding the Saints to just three hits in seven shutout innings, to extend his scoreless streak to a career-high 13 consecutive innings and lowering his ERA to 0.95 so far this season. The offense rewarded his strong performance by scoring twice in the top of the eighth, to put him in line for the win, his third in a row in as many starts. He worked three 1-2-3 innings, and twice got out of a jam in which Flagler had a runner on second with less than two outs.
Andres Visbal and
Dylan Woods got the rally started in the eighth with back-to-back one-out singles, before
Brendan Cutting came on to pinch-hit, facing Saints pitcher Kyle Schackne, who had just entered the game in relief of starter Dustin Dye. The first pitch Schackne threw went to the backstop, allowing Visbal and Woods to each advance one base. Two pitches later, Cutting singled to right field to score both Visbal and Woods.
Devin Raftery came out of the bullpen for the Sharks and closed the door with two scoreless innings for his second save of the season.
Game 2 – Flagler 3, NSU 2 In game two, the Sharks got on the board first, starting with one-out singles by
Kevin Suarez and JanCarlos Cintron in the top of the third inning.
Brandon Gomez reached on an error by the Flagler second baseman, which allowed Suarez to score. The Saints tied it in the bottom half of the third with a solo home run by first baseman James Jean, but the Sharks quickly took the lead back in the top of the fourth inning.
Antonio Rodriguez led off the inning with one of his two hits in the game and Visbal drew a walk. Woods then laid down a perfect bunt advancing the runners to second and third.
Teft Hill followed with a groundout to second that scored Rodriguez and gave the Sharks the lead.
That lead held until the bottom of the eighth inning. Starter
Jonny Ortiz (1-1) had retired 12 Saints in a row before Jean homered for the second time. A double off the right field wall and single up the middle gave the Saints the sudden lead, and the NSU offense was unable to react, going down in order in the top of the ninth.
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