NSU Sharks News
NSU Softball Drops Doubleheader to UWF
April Donachie homers for the Sharks
Pensacola, Fla. (Feb. 15, 2009) -- The Nova Southeastern University softball team (10-3) ended the weekend on a sour note dropping a pair of games to the West Florida Argonauts (3-1) on Sunday afternoon in the UWF Regional Crossover tournament finale. The Sharks dropped the first game 5-1 and fell 4-2 in the nightcap.Having won the coin toss during pregame, Nova Southeastern elected to be the home team in the first game of the doubleheader. After shutting down the Argonaut offense in the top of the first, the Sharks took an early 1-0 lead in the bottom of the inning. Noemi Luciani (Jr., Miami, Fla.) led off with a single and later April Donachie (Sr., Orlando, Fla.) plated the go ahead run with an RBI single.
The Sharks' lead lasted until the fourth inning when the Argos managed to push their first run across the plate to tie the score, 1-1. UWF shortstop Caurie Miller led off the fourth with a double and scored on Sarah Garcia's RBI single to tie the score.
A huge blow landed on the Sharks in the top of the fifth when West Florida plated four runs to take a 5-1 lead. Two hits and a walk loaded the bases for first baseman Shannon Miles. With two outs, Miles belted a grand slam over the right centerfield fence clearing the bases and giving the Argos a convincing lead. NSU pitcher Dani Caron (Jr., Wellington, Fla.) managed to get out of the inning forcing UWF pitcher Jill LaFrance to pop out in the next at bat.
The next two innings, the Shark defense and Caron (4-1) held the Argonaut offense in check allowing just one hit. Despite racking up a couple hits in the seventh, the Sharks were unable to narrow the gap leaving two stranded in only their second loss of the season. West Florida's LaFrance (2-0) struck out four in the win, while Caron allowed five runs and struck out five in the loss for Nova Southeastern.
Slated at the visitor in the second game, the Sharks jumped out in front early in to the top of the first. Donachie reached on a one out walk and Lauren Lopez (Jr., Miami, Fla.) gave NSU a 1-0 lead with an RBI single to right field, but was thrown out at second trying to advance on the throw ending the inning.
However, the long ball woes hit the Sharks again the bottom of the same inning to give UWF a 3-1 lead. West Florida's Melissa Chastang reached on a one-out walk and then beat the throw at second on the force play, while Miller reached on the fielder's choice to put two runners on. After an Argonaut groundout, Kristee Wheeler belted the three-run shot to give West Florida the lead.
The Sharks cut into the Argonaut lead in the top of the third inning when Donachie belted a one-out solo homer over the centerfield fence bringing NSU to within a run, 3-2. However, the Argonauts took advantage of a Shark defensive miscue to regain a two run advantage. Sarah Garcia reached on a fielding error and later scored on an RBI single by UWF pinch hitter Trish Pope.
NSU's Lexi Sarradet (So., Miami, Fla.) kept the West Florida bats quiet in the fifth and sixth innings, but the Shark offense remained unable to produce any runs down the stretch and fell 4-2. Sarradet (6-2) suffered the loss for NSU allowing four runs, three earned and struck out five. Emily Burge (1-1) struck out two and walked two in the West Florida win.
The Sharks will return to action on Wednesday, Feb. 18 in West Palm Beach facing off with Palm Beach Atlantic in a 5 pm doubleheader.
