Nova Southeastern Rallies for Win Over Mocs in Series Opener

FORT LAUDERDALE - Florida Southern's struggles on the road continued here Friday evening as Nova Southeastern scored nine unanswered runs to turn a 7-2 deficit after two-and-half innings into an 11-7 win in Sunshine State Conference action at the NSU Baseball Complex.

The loss dropped the Moccasins to 0-15 on the road this year and its overall record to 15-19 on the season and 7-6 in the SSC, while NSU improved to 22-13 and 4-6 in the league.

FSC appeared poised to break through for the first time this season on the road as they led 7-1 going to the bottom of the third inning after scoring six runs on six hits in the top of the third inning, but the Sharks scored a run in the third, plated five runs in the fourth and completed the scoring with three runs in the sixth and then pitched out of bases loaded jams in two of the final three innings to secure the victory.

The Mocs scored its first run in the opening inning as they loaded the bases with one out thanks to a walk, an infield single by redshirt freshman rightfielder Dominic Brugnoni (St. Clair Shores, Mich.) and a hit batsman and scored the game's first run on an sacrifice fly to left field by senior first baseman Kyle Jackson (Avon Park, Fla.). The RBI was the 22nd of the season for Jackson.

NSU, though, would take a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the first inning on a 2-run home run to straight away center field by Michael Melendez off of junior Clay Chapman (Orlando, Fla.) for his second homer of the season.

The Mocs retook the lead in the third inning as they recorded six hits and scored six runs to push in front 7-2. FSC got the scoring going when NSU's Angel Navarro dropped a deep fly ball in centerfield off the bat of Brugnoni for an error to center and added two runs on a single to center by Jackson. The fourth run came home on an RBI single to right by senior leftfielder Austin Jackson (Deltona, Fla.) and senior catcher Brad Carlton (Arcadia, Fla.) completed the scoring with a 3-run homer over the left field fence off of NSU starting pitcher Vinnie Contaldi. The homer was Carlton's team-leading sixth of the year.

NSU got one of those runs back in the bottom of the third inning on a sacrifice fly off the bat of Alex Marrero to drop the Mocs lead to 7-3. In the inning, Melendez led off with a double, while Jose Rodriguez reached on a single and Chapman loaded the bases as he walked Kevin Reynolds.

The Sharks would retake the lead in the fourth inning as they sent nine hitters to the plate and scored five runs on five hits to take an 8-7 lead. The big hit in the inning was a 3-run double by Brandon Sedell off of Chapman to give NSU the lead back. The Sharks other runs came in on an RBI double by Melendez and an RBI single by Rodriguez. 

NSU's lead grew to 11-7 in the sixth inning thanks to a lead off solo home run off the scoreboard in left center by Rodriguez and a 2-run homer over the left field fence by Marrero off of junior reliever Nick Krolczyk (Coral Springs, Fla.).

Melendez and Rorriguez went a combined 7-for-10 at the plate with five RBIs and five runs in the game as Melendez was 3-for-5 with three runs scored and 3 RBIs and Rodriguez was 4-for-5 with two runs scored and 2 RBIs in the win, while Sedell added two hits and 3 RBIs.

The Mocs had a scoring chance in the seventh as they loaded with bases with no outs thanks to singles by junior second baseman Conor Szczerba (Titusville, Fla.) and Kyle Jackson and a walk issued to freshman pinch hitter Christian Magno (Longwood, Fla.) by NSU reliever Josh Glick. Glick, though, would get out of the jam by forcing sophomore designated hitter Joey Miller (Sarasota, Fla.) to ground into a double play that began with an out at the plate and then ending the inning by striking out Carlton.

In the eighth innng, the Mocs put two runners on base with one out thanks to back-to-back walks issued by Glick to sophomore third baseman Keith Curcio (Sarasota, Fla.) and senior shortstop Kyle Gibbs (Sarasota, Fla.), but for the second consecutive inning Glick got out of the jam as he struck out Brugnoni and Gibbs was called out at second base after a successful steal on an interference call at the plate by Brugnoni.

The Mocs once again put pressure on Glick and the Sharks bullpen in the ninth inning as Glick and Julian Loret de Mola combined to walk the bases loaded with one out. Loret de Mola, who was the third Sharks pitcher of the game and second in the inning, would hold the Mocs off the scoreboard as he struck out Carlton a 3-2 pitch and forced redshirt junior centerfielder J.J. Downum (Land O'Lakes, Fla.) to pop up to short on a 2-2 pitch to end the game.

On the night, the Mocs finished with 11 hits, including Kyle Jackson going 3-for-3 at the plate with 3 RBIs. Gibbs was the only other Moccasin to have multiple hits in the game as he finished 2-for-4 at the plate in the loss. NSU recorded 12 hits for the game.

Chapman (2-5) took the loss on the mound as he pitched four innings and allowed nine hits and eight runs, while walking four and striking out five. Krolczyk and junior Cameron Grimsley (Ponte Vedra, Fla.) combined to pitch the final four innnings and allowe three hits and three runs (two earned), while walking five and striking out five.

Both teams struggled with runners on base as a total of 21 runners were left stranded in the game that lasted a little over three hours. The Mocs left 11 runners on base, while NSU stranded 10.

Contaldi (4-3) earned the win for the Sharks as he pitched six innings and allowed nine hits and seven runs (four earned), while walking one and fanning seven. On the night, the three NSU pitchers combined for 11 strikeouts.

The two teams will conclude its weekend series with a doubleheader on Saturday beginning at 1 p.m. at the NSU Baseball Complex. The doubleheader will begin with a nine inning game, with a seven inning game to follow 30 minutes after the conclusion of the first game.