NSU Sharks News

Head Coach Lesa Bonee picks up 200th win with the Sharks

Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. (Feb. 25, 2009) The Nova Southeastern University softball team (20-4, 3-0 SSC) narrowly missed out on a three-game Sunshine State Conference sweep over the Lynn Fighting Knights (8-13, 0-3 SSC) on Wednesday, but Jessica Hernandez (Jr., Miami, Fla.) posted a walk-off, two-RBI single to put NSU in the driver's seat in the conference standings. The Sharks won the front end of the doubleheader 5-1, but closed out the series with a thrilling 6-5, come-from-behind win for the sweep. With the two wins, head coach Lesa Bonee' secured her 200th career win as the NSU skipper.

The opening game of the twin bill was scoreless until the fourth inning when the Sharks picked up five runs in the bottom of the frame. April Donachie (Sr., Orlando, Fla.) and Lauren Lopez (Jr., Miami, Fla.) led off with a pair of singles and Hernandez reached on a walk to load the bags. Brittany Lamb (Jr., West Palm Beach, Fla.) followed with an RBI single to give the Sharks a 1-0.

With no outs, Jessica Rockwell (Sr., Middleburg, Fla.) was successful on the suicide squeeze, but still reached on the fielder's choice to keep the sacks loaded. Dana Bergner (Jr., Palm Harbor, Fla.) followed with a sacrifice fly to right to plate the Sharks' third run of the game. A muffed throw by Lynn first baseman Rachel Larkins allowed two more NSU runs score for a 5-0 lead, but the Fighting Knights managed to get out of the inning with three consecutive outs.

The next inning was quiet for both teams, but Lynn narrowed the gap in the top of the sixth. Katrina Lavadan led the inning off with a triple to left center, but Mika Tater hit into a sacrifice fly to score the run two batters later setting the score at 5-1 for the Sharks.

Lexi Sarradet (So., Miami, Fla.) shutdown the Knights in the seventh to improve to 10-3 on the season, while allowing just one run on five hits and striking out three. Cristie Kaufman (4-6) was saddled with the loss allowing five runs, three earned on eight NSU hits and struck out eight.

At first, it appeared as though defensive mistakes would prevent the Sharks from completing a conference sweep in the nightcap, but the team managed to come through in the final inning to complete the sweep.

Two NSU errors in the first allowed Lynn to take a 2-0 lead. With two outs, Tator reached on the first of the Sharks miscues and Kathleen Smith followed with an RBI double to plate the first unearned run. Another errand throw from the outfield on the same play allowed the second run to score.

In the second inning, two more NSU errors led to another pair of runs to give Lynn a 4-0 lead after two innings. However, the Sharks managed to cut into the Fighting Knight lead in the third after Rachel Talenfeld (So., Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.) reached on a one out triple. Donachie followed with an RBI single to plate the first run and two batters later, Hernandez doubled in the first two of her four runs of the game to cut the lead to 4-3.

The Sharks tied the game in the bottom of the fifth when Donachie scored on a Lynn passed ball. However, the Fighting Knights reclaimed the lead in the top of the sixth on a Meghan Osbourne RBI double.

Down by one run heading into the bottom of the seventh, the Sharks mounted a thrilling comeback no one could have scripted better. After securing the first out, Talenfeld picked up her second hit of the game to reach first. Donachie followed with a walk, but another defensive miscue by Lynn second baseman Osbourne allowed Lopez to reach and load the bases. With one out and Sharks at each corner of the diamond, Hernandez hit a walk-off two-RBI single to right field to give NSU the 6-5 win.

Dani Caron (Jr., Wellington, Fla.), who was this week's NFCA Division II National Pitcher-of-the-Week allowed five runs, just one earned and struck out three in the win for Nova Southeastern, while Kauffman (4-7) was handed her second consecutive loss on the day after entering the game in relief only to give up two runs on two hits.

Hernandez finished 3-5 at the plate with four RBI to pace the Sharks, while Talenfeld added a trio of hits, including a triple.

The Sharks will hit the road on Monday, Mar. 2 for the first game of a 10-game road trip facing off with SSC foe Florida Southern at 7 pm in conference action.

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