FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – The Nova Southeastern Sharks baseball team took on its final regular season weekend on Saturday, also honoring five seniors not returning for next season; Brady Acker, Bryan Diaz, Andrew Labosky, Joe Smeton and JP Williams. However, the Sharks weren’t able to come away from Saturday’s doubleheader with a victory after falling in the extras to end the first game, then falling behind late in the second contest to end the 2021 regular season at 13-12.
INSIDE THE MATCHUP:
Game 1 Final Score: (10) Florida Southern – 5, Nova Southeastern – 4
Game 2 Final Score: Florida Southern – 12, Nova Southeastern – 3
Records: Nova Southeastern (13-12, 11-12 SSC), Florida Southern (15-11, 14-10 SSC)
Location: NSU Baseball Complex, Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
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HOW IT HAPPENED:
The Sharks took an early advantage on the day as Adan Fernandez lifted yet another first-inning home run beyond the left field fence – a solo shot for the opening-frame 1-0 lead.
However, despite having senior ace JP Williams on the bump for game one right behind the Senior Day ceremony, the Moccasins were quick to counter, as a fielding error created trouble for the Sharks. With an unearned runner aboard, Santini Miozzi singled past a diving third baseman for an RBI to knot the score. Vaun Brown followed with the go-ahead RBI single, going the opposite direction to push FSC ahead 2-1.
After Williams and FSC starter Jarrod Cande combined to keep the board blank for the next two frames, Jacob Teter found the right pitch to take out of right field for FSC in the fifth.
Responding in the bottom of the sixth, again it was Fernandez, belting another homer out of left field for his first career multi-homer day on another solo shot. As Williams’ day drew to a close in the seventh, the Mocs reached the board again, after a leadoff triple set the table. Following a pitching change with two runners aboard, relieving Williams with Ryan Bradarich, a catcher cross-up allowed Dylan Costa’s score on a wild pitch.
Another key senior play was delivered in the bottom of the frame, as Andrew Labosky went yard on a two-out, two-run shot to left center to tie the game at 4-all. However, it also prompted Florida Southern to go to the bullpen for J.J. Niekro and stop the Sharks’ scoring.
Pushed to extras for the first time this season – for either team – the Mocs capitalized on another uncharacteristic error, as Nicholas Wells pulled a double deep to outer left field to score the game-winning run. After a leadoff single, Mocs second baseman Costa got a great jump on Daniel Irisarri’s contact and shut the door with a game-ending double play.
Despite the final scoring margin of the second game, the Mocs crept along most of the game, and the Sharks kept pace right at their heels, but a big inning late broke the dam.
FSC took the first lead, using a wind-aided triple to outer right field to set the table and knock an NSU outfielder out of the game after the diving catch attempt. Connor Berry grounded out to plate Zach Scott as the next batter. In the fourth, Berry used a pair of errors to give the Mocs two more on the board with a two-run bloop single into the real estate behind first base.
The Sharks showed great plate patience and loaded up the bases on walks in the home half, with Bryce Hazzard collecting an RBI walk that scored Labosky. However, Florida Southern quelled a golden Sharks opportunity, stranding three runners.
The fifth inning saw a see-saw battle featuring a Brown two-run homer in the top half, and Fernandez’ third home run of the doubleheader, for two runs, in the home frame, keeping the Sharks within striking distance on the 5-3 deficit.
However, in the final frame, it was the Florida Southern offense that delivered, racking up seven runs against four different NSU pitchers to open up the gates and close the series on a 12-3 win.
ABOUT THE SENIORS
Brady Acker has been a steady starter for the Sharks this season after battling back from past injury, going 2-5 in seven starts this year with a 4.80 ERA and 26 strikeouts. Coming out of Tamarac and Taravella High School by way of Chipola College, Acker made 26 appearances with 23 starts, notching a 10-6 record and 3.95 ERA. He collected 131 strikeouts in 125.1 innings. His ERA ranks seventh in NSU career history, he’s fourth in walks per nine innings (3.4) and third in strikeouts per nine innings (9.4), fanning nearly a quarter of the batters he faced. Acker was on the SSC Commissioner’s Honor Roll and graduates this semester with a degree in General Studies.
Bryan Diaz arrived from Miami Lake and Monsignor Edward Pace High School. In four total seasons with the Sharks as an outfielder, he’s started 65 of his 87 games, batting .276 with 63 hits, including 10 doubles, four triples and four home runs. Diaz batted in 44 runs and scored 49 of this own, also stealing 11 bases. A three-time member of the SSC Commissioner’s Honor Roll, Diaz was named the 2021 Ultimate Shark at the Sharky’s Awards and graduates this semester with his degree in Exercise and Sport Science before taking on fire school in the summer.
Andrew Labosky also came from Taravella High School out of Coral Springs for the 2017 season – and has played nearly every position aside from stepping on the mound for the Sharks. He’s racked up 132 games with 105 starts and was a 2019 All-SSC and All-Region performer. Labosky has batted .307 with 126 career hits, including 30 doubles and nine home runs – as well as 73 walks to rank seventh in the all-time NSU records. He’s scored 98 times and batted in 75 runs, reaching base at a .417 clip with a .450 slugging percentage. He collected 33 stolen bases as a Shark to take up eighth on the NSU career records list. Named to the SSC Commissioner’s Honor Rolle, Labosky earned his undergraduate degree last May in Exercise and Sport Science and will complete his Master’s Degree in Sport Science this December.
Joe Smeton was the one to finally get the Sharks out of the seventh-inning jam tonight and came to NSU from the furthest distance initially, hailing from Abingdon, Maryland by way of Harford Community College. The elder southpaw, he’s made 16 appearances with a 1-0 record and 5.69 ERA, making seven strikeouts in 12.2 innings. He was a member of the last SSC Commissioner’s Honor Roll and graduates this semester with his degree in Environmental Science Studies.
JP Williams came to NSU from Melbourne and Eastern Florida State College, transforming for clutch closer to prime starter for the Sharks. He made 30 appearances with 12 starts, garnering an 8-3 record with two saves, one complete game shutout and a 3.15 ERA to rank fourth in the NSU career records. He’s struck out over a quarter of the batters he’s faced, holding them to .238 hitting with 110 strikeouts and only 29 walks in 103 innings. He’ll take the top spot for NSU’s hits per nine innings (8.1) and second in strikeouts per nine innings (9.6). He graduates this semester with a degree in marketing.
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