AMERICUS, Ga. – The Nova Southeastern Sharks Baseball team snapped their four-game losing streak with an 11-9 comeback victory in the series finale against the Georgia Southwestern Hurricanes. Despite allowing nine runs in the first three innings, Alexander Llinas, Julian Hernandez, Edwin Alicea, Anthony Karoly and Pedro Acosta combined to toss six shutout innings in relief.
Xavier Moronta (3-6, 2B, HR, two RBI), Jack Cue (2-6, two RBI), Ryan Cainzos (2-4, two RBI) and Zeth Rodriguez (1-3, two RBI) and Ty Torti (4-4, three runs) all contributed solid efforts at the plate for the Sharks’ offense.
Records: Nova Southeastern 6-5 | Georgia Southwestern 7-4
Score: Nova Southeastern 11 | Georgia Southwestern 9
Location: Americus, GA. | Hurricane Stadium
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- Ronny Medina sparked a two-out rally, which featured three consecutive hits, as Ryan Cainzos drove in both Medina and Torti and gave NSU an early 2-0 lead.
- GSW wasted no time responding, as the Hurricanes took advantage of a pair of Sharks miscues and plated five runs in the bottom of the first.
- Jack Cue cut into the deficit with an RBI single, bringing in Nick Rodriguez, as NSU trailed Georgia Southwestern 5-3 in the top of the second.
- GSW opened up their lead to 9-3 over the Sharks with a four-run bottom of the fourth inning.
- Cue’s second RBI base hit of the game brought in Zeth Rodriguez and set up a two-run home run by Xavier Moronta, bringing the score to 9-6 in the top of the fourth.
- Ty Torti led off the top of the fifth inning with a double and with two outs came into score on a wild pitch.
- Head Coach Adrian Morales continued hitting all the right buttons as he called upon Roylan Quevedo, pinch-hitting for Nick Rodriguez, who delivered a two-out base hit which drove in Z. Rodriguez cutting the deficit to 9-8.
- The Sharks bullpen continued to keep NSU in the ballgame as Julian Hernandez and Edwin Alicea pitched scoreless innings in the fifth, sixth and seventh frames.
- Moronta led off the top of the eighth inning with a double and scored on an RBI single by Medina, tying the game at 9-9.
- Zeth Rodriguez came through with a two-run single with the bases loaded, giving NSU an 11-9 advantage, the first lead for the Sharks since the opening frame.
- Anthony Karoly set down the Hurricanes in order in the bottom of the frame, providing another much needed shutdown inning for NSU.
- Pedro Acosta entered the game in the ninth inning for the Sharks and pitched out of a jam with the winning run at the plate, earning his first collegiate save, as the Sharks defeated GSW 11-9.
Xavier Moronta: 3-6, 2B, HR, two RBI
Jack Cue: 2-6, two RBI
Ryan Cainzos: 2-4, two RBI
Ty Torti: 4-4, three runs
Pedro Acosta: first career save
The Sharks hit the road and begin Sunshine State Conference play on Friday, February 21st, taking on the Eckerd Tritons. First pitch s scheduled for 6 p.m. To stay up-to-date on Sharks Baseball, be sure to follow on Instagram & X at NSU_Baseball.
