MELBOURNE, Fla. – The Nova Southeastern University softball team (0-3) dropped a pair of games on Saturday afternoon during the second day of the First Pitch Classic hosted by Florida Tech in Melbourne. The Sharks fell 5-0 to the host Panthers in the first game, and later fell in the afternoon finale versus Angelo State, 8-4.
GAME ONE
In the first game of the day, the NSU Sharks fell behind early in the bottom of the first when Vanessa Rubio hit an RBI single to left, giving the Panthers an early 1-0 lead. FIT went on to extend their lead in the second by scoring three more on a solo homer by Julianna Goldberg and two costly Sharks' errors resulting in a pair of runs.
Leading 4-0 heading into the bottom of the fifth, FIT's Makayla Palmer had a one-out RBI single that added a fifth run, later leading to the 5-0 final in favor of the host FIT.
The NSU offense was held to three total hits from Sydney Lageryre, Dakota Villela and Ashley Roe over the seven-inning affair, but committed four defensive errors. FIT finished with five runs on five hits.
Megan Granitto (0-1) suffered the loss for NSU giving up three runs on two hits through one inning of work, while Rachel Pence (1-1) picked up the FIT win tossing the seven-inning, three-hit shutout.
GAME TWO
Facing another tough opponent in the afternoon nightcap, the Sharks' struggles continued as the young NSU team faced the Rams of Angelo State. The Sharks fell behind early in the first when ASU's Bailey Wallace and Alexis Evans both went out of the park with solo home runs. Down 2-0, Courtney Barnhill doubled in the Ram's third run to give ASU a 3-0 lead heading into the fourth.
A pair of ASU RBI-singles in the fourth extended the Rams' lead to 5-0, but NSU wasn't about to let it go unanswered. Villella led off the bottom half with a single up the middle, and went on to steal second and reached third on Dana Edmundson's single to left. With runners at the corners, Edmundson stole second which opened the door for Villella to steal home to give NSU their first run of the game. Lexie Storrer then hit an RBI single that plated the Sharks' second of the inning.
Holding the Rams scoreless in the top half, NSU went on to add two more in the bottom of the fifth. Roe reached on an error to lead off the frame and then Alex Suzuki followed with a single to left. Both runners advanced on a fielder's choice, so with runners at second and third, Villella doubled in the pair to narrow the ASU lead to 5-4.
During the top of the seventh, Katlyn Herzog blasted a three-run homer to straight-away center, giving ASU a four-run lead which led to the final score of 8-4 in the Rams' favor.
Villella led the Sharks offensively going 2-for-3 with a double and two RBI. Dominique Sprengers (0-1) tossed the full seven, giving up eight runs on 15 hits while striking out three. Kenedy Urbany (2-0) picked up the ASU win, allowing four runs on five hits and struck out nine.
The Sharks will return to action on Sunday, Feb. 5 at 9 a.m. to face off with fellow SSC member Palm Beach Atlantic. That match-up will be followed by a rematch against No. 3 Armstrong State at 11:30 a.m. to close out tournament play.
