Nova Southeastern tallied eight hits with 10 runners in the opener in Daytona Beach
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – The Nova Southeastern baseball team came up short despite scoring opportunities in Friday’s 3-0 Sunshine State Conference loss at No. 13 Embry-Riddle. Although the Sharks logged 10 runners on base, the Eagles managed to hold off NSU for the first shutout of the year.
INSIDE THE MATCHUP:
Final Score: Embry-Riddle – 3, Nova Southeastern – 0
Records: No. 13 Embry-Riddle (11-3, 3-1 SSC), Nova Southeastern (6-9, 2-2 SSC)
Location: Sliwa Stadium, Daytona Beach, Fla.
Get Social: Twitter – @NSU_Baseball | Instagram – @NSU_Baseball | Facebook – /NSUSharksAthletics
HOW IT HAPPENED:
The starters settled in for the long haul and kept things relatively quiet in the early going, leaving the first two frames blank behind the efforts of JP Williams (NSU) and Garrett Goodall (ERAU). Putting constant early pressure on Goodall, the Sharks generated plenty of opportunities, but were unable to capitalize on six runners left aboard through the first three innings – tallying four hits and two walks in the first third of the game.
In the bottom of the third, the Eagles were able to break the deadlock and scratch one across on back-to-back two-out singles by Kyle Guttveg and Mike Lawson to create a sliver of a lead that proved challenging for the Sharks offense.
Playing from behind for the first time on the night, the Sharks saw their first frame without baserunners and eight batters went down without reaching, before Nathan Chevalier clocked a two-out, sixth-inning double down the right field line. Chevalier reached third on a wild pitch from Goodall, but a solid backhand grab and quick throw by shortstop Cody Forster stopped Brandon Chinea and the Sharks just shy of knotting the score.
The one-run game saw the pitcher’s duel resume for four innings after the lead tilted in ERAU’s favor. However, the Eagles made the most of the Sharks’ lone pitching change, Forster taking a first-pitch double off Jacob Bove with one out in the eighth to set up another scoring push. Guttveg added a grounded RBI single through the middle infield, and Luis Olivier cashed him in on a double down the right line to send ERAU ahead 3-0 with the bottom of the NSU order coming up in the ninth.
Although reliever Joe Balsam walked Alex Hernandez in the ninth and allowed an eighth-inning Adan Fernandez single, he was able to secure the six final outs for the save (1) and deal the Sharks the series-opening loss. Goodall (3-2) earned the win for ERAU on 7.0 innings, giving up six hits and walking two. Williams (0-2) took the loss on a career-long 7.0 innings, allowing one run on five hits, recording a season-high five strikeouts.
STATS OF THE GAME
- The loss snaps a 12-game win streak for the Sharks over the Eagles, dating back to 2002 when both programs were part of the Florida Sun Conference. The teams did not meet from 2003-2015.
- Williams recorded a career-long 7.0-inning performance – the longest appearance by a Sharks pitcher this season by two frames.
- Williams secured five strikeouts for a season-high and walked one batter.
- Seven NSU starters collected a hit against the Eagles, but the runners left 10 Sharks on base – compared with four for ERAU.
- Every member of the order reached base in the series opener.
- With two on the night, the Sharks hit multiple doubles for the ninth time this season
- Fernandez extends his team-high hitting streak to 12 games, and shares a team-leading 15 games reaching base with Andrew Labosky – every game this season. Labosky’s overall streak is at 16, extending to the NCAA Regional final last season.
- Tyler Epstein has reached on a hit in nine consecutive appearances.
- Coming off a season-high four errors in the win at St. Thomas, the Sharks registered their third miscue-free game in the last four times out.
- Ranking third in the NCAA as base thieves (42 coming in), NSU was limited to one stolen base.
- Entering the game ranked fifth in the NCAA with 13 double plays, the Sharks added two more to the cumulative, knocking down DPs in both the first and fourth innings.
UP NEXT
The Sharks and Eagles will return to action for a Saturday doubleheader in Daytona Beach at Sliwa Stadium to determine the series. First pitch is slated for 1:00 p.m. Afterward, the Sharks will extend their road trip to Pensacola for a two-game set, Monday and Tuesday at West Florida.
To stay up with all the latest with Sharks baseball., follow us on Twitter @NSU_Baseball, on Instagram @NSU_Baseball and on Facebook /NSUBaseball.
