NSU Sharks News

Mikolas Leads NSU To 5-1 Win Over #12 Tampa With Complete Game Gem

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#21 NSU Wins 14th Consecutive Home Game Behind The Right Arm Of Starter Miles Mikolas

FT. LAUDERDALE, Fla. (Mar. 20, 2009)  Led by the complete game outing of starter Miles Mikolas, the #21 Nova Southeastern University Sharks defeated #12 University of Tampa 5-1 in Sunshine State Conference action at the NSU Baseball Complex on Friday evening. The win improves the Sharks record to 23-5 overall, 1-3 in SSC play, and extends their home winning streak to 14 games. Tampa falls to 22-8 and 3-1 in SSC play.

Mikolas (Jr., Jupiter, Fla.) pitched all nine innings for the complete game win, allowing only seven hits and one run. He struck out a season high 11 batters while walking just one batter. His victory over the Spartans improves his record to 4-0 on the season. Mikolas led the Sunshine State Conference in ERA entering the game and now stands at 1.25 for the season.

Leftfielder J.D. Martinez (Jr., Pembroke Pines, Fla.) led the Sharks at the plate, going 4-4 with two runs scored and a RBI. Coming into the game Martinez led the Sunshine State Conference with a .533 average and eleven home runs.

The Sharks struck first, scoring two runs in the bottom of the fourth inning. Shortstop Dale Alberto (Sr., Davie, Fla.) and designated hitter Jonathan Escarza (Fr., Miami, Fla.) each had RBI singles in the inning for NSU.

NSU added to their lead in the fifth inning, scoring three runs on four hits and a Tampa error. Martinez drove in the first run of the inning with a RBI single up the middle which was followed by a two RBI single back up the middle by first baseman Riaan Spanjer-Furstenburg (Jr., Coral Springs, Fla.).

Tampa finally reached Mikolas in the sixth, scoring a single run on a RBI groundout by centerfielder Tyler Cox.

Mikolas took over from there, working out of a jam in the seventh before cruising in the eighth and ninth innings to lead the Sharks to victory.

Spanjer-Furstenburg also had two hits on the evening for NSU with two RBI's.

NSU completes their three-game SSC series vs. University of Tampa with a doubleheader at 1pm on Saturday, March 21st at the NSU Baseball Complex.