NSU led for the first four frames, but six UWF runs in the fifth proved to be the difference
PENSACOLA, Fla. – The Nova Southeastern Sharks baseball team saw a three-game win streak of nearly perfect baseball end on Tuesday afternoon at Jim Spooner Field, as the West Florida Argonauts used a hefty fifth inning to rally past the Sharks and hold on for the 9-6 UWF win. The Sharks closed out a 10-game road swing in Pensacola.
INSIDE THE MATCHUP:
Final Score: West Florida – 9, Nova Southeastern – 6
Records: Nova Southeastern (9-10), West Florida (10-7)
Location: Jim Spooner Field, Pensacola, Fla.
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HOW IT HAPPENED:
Nathan Chevalier must have had some of last night’s juice left over, as the center fielder led off the game with his first home run of the season, a solo shot to left center on the fourth pitch he saw. In fact, the first four Shark hitters all collected a base knock, and it paid off beyond the homer with an Andrew Labosky RBI double and a Brandon Chineasacrifice fly to put NSU ahead 3-0 in the top of the first.
However, the Argos limited offense from Monday did not translate to this game, with an Cullan O’Shea RBI double and an Adam Imwalle RBI single dead to center, legged out by O’Shea to trim the NSU advantage to a single run.
The game remained at a standstill through the middle innings, as starter Duncan Pastoregave way to Jarrett Bond. However, the fifth proved problematic for the Sharks, as Jacob Bove and Lucas Reid were missing spots and six batters reached on a free pass – with three hit batters, two base on balls and one intentional walk, coupled with a pair of singles to send six runs to the scoreboard and put the Sharks in a five-run hole.
The Argos added another in the sixth on a Miller Hancock RBI groundout before the Sharks offense was kick-started into action.
Adan Fernandez earned a full count walk to lay the groundwork for a seventh-inning scoring push. Labosky earned a free pass of his own and Chinea loaded the bases with a single to third base. Michael Uz added the first new run for the Sharks since the first on a four-pitch RBI walk. Olivier Mayrand send an RBI single through the left side to score Chinea and Uz scored on an error that allowed Stephen Schissler aboard to trim the deficit to just three runs.
Making the bridge from five-inning reliever Alex Knight (W, 1-2), it was Brendon Case who took the final nine NSU outs – allowing four hits but nothing on the board for his second save of the season. For NSU, Bove (1-1) took the loss, allowing two runs on 0.1 innings.
STATS OF THE GAME
- With the loss, the Sharks’ record against the Argos moves to 5-3 all-time, dating back to 2012.
- Tying the season high with 14 hits on the afternoon, this is the ninth game with team hitting in double-digits.
- However, the Sharks also left 13 runners aboard – a season high.
- Chinea went a career-best perfect 4-for-4 with one RBI and one run to lead NSU – also his seventh multi-hit game of the year.
- Holding team’s highest hitting streak, Tyler Epstein has reached on a hit in 13 consecutive appearances.
- Fernandez extended his team-leading reached base streak to 19 games on a 3-for-4 hitting performance, his eighth multi-hitter of the year..
- With four against the Argos on Tuesday, the Sharks extend their stolen base count to 53 on the year, ranked fifth in the nation at the stat to start the week.
UP NEXT
The Sharks return home for the first time in 10 games, facing a three-game non-conference weekend against northeastern teams, beginning with American International on Friday, March 6 at 4:00 p.m.
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