Mocs Drop Both Ends of Doubleheader at Nova Southeastern

FORT LAUDERDALE - Florida Southern returned to action here Sunday afternoon as they dropped both ends of a Sunshine State Conference doubleheader to Nova Southeastern at the NSU Baseball Complex.

The doubleheader was pushed back on day after a spring storm brought heavy rain and lightning to the Fort Lauderdale on Saturday that forced NSU officials to back the two games back.

In the first game, NSU posted a 6-2 win (Box Score) and then scored two runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to break a 2-2 tie en route to earning a 4-2 win (Box Score) in the nightcap to sweep the three-game series.  

With the two setbacks, the Moccasins fall to 15-21 overall on the season and 7-8 in the SSC, while NSU improved to 24-13 overall and 6-6 in the league standings. 

In Sunday's opener, NSU jumped in front 2-0 in the bottom of the first inning on a 2-run homer over the right centerfield fence by Kevin Reynolds off of Moc junior starter Alex Norris (Clearwater, Fla.). The damage could've been worse, but Norris picked off Jose Rodriguez as he was attempting to steal one pitch prior to Reynolds' homer.

The Mocs got those two runs right back in the top of the second inning as they scored two runs on three hits, a walk and a hit batsman. Junior second baseman Conor Szczerba (Titusville, Fla.) led off the inning with a walk, moved to third on a single up the middle by senior first baseman Kyle Jackson (Avon Park, Fla.), before scoring on an RBI single to right field by sophomore designated hitter Joey Miller (Sarasota, Fla.). Senior catcher Brad Carlton (Arcadia, Fla.) would load the bases with his single through the right side, before redshirt junior centerfielder J.J. Downum (Land O'Lakes, Fla.) was hit by a Zachary Westcott pitch to drive home Jackson with a run to tie the game. Westscott, though, would prevent further damage as he retired the next two hitters in order to end the inning.

NSU would retake the lead in the bottom of the second on a two-out RBI single by Michael Melendez that plated Brett Clements, who had reached on a one-out single to right.

In the top of the third inning, the Mocs put runners on second and third with two outs thanks to a bloop single by Jackson and a throwing error by Westscott on a ball hit right back at him by senior leftfielder Austin Jackson (Deltona, Fla.). But the Mocs wouldn't score in the inning as Westscott struck out Miller looking to end the threat.

NSU took advantage of the sun to score its fourth run in the third inning as William Rudolph skyed a Norris pitch up in the air behind second base that dropped in for a hit that allowed Reynolds to score from third base. Reynolds was one of three Sharks to record hits in the inning.

The Sharks lead grew to 5-2 in the bottom of the fourth ininng on an RBI single up the middle by Melendez to score Acevedo from third base after he reached on a leadoff double and moved to third on a fly ball to center by Carlos Asuaje.

FSC would load the bases in the sixth inning with two outs on a hit batsman, a single to left by Carlton and a walk, before Westcott got out of the jam by forcing sophomore third baseman Keith Curcio (Sarasota, Fla.) to fly out to right to end the inning.
   
Asuaje would give the Sharks a 6-2 lead in the sixth inning on a leadoff homer over the fence in right field off of junior Steven Burnham (Valrico, Fla.), who replaced Norris in the fifth inning.  

In the ninth inning, Downum led off with a single to right and moved to second when redshirt freshman rightfielder Dominic Brugnoni (St. Clair Shores, Mich.) drew a two-out walk from Westcott. The walk chased Westcott from the game as NSU brought in Michael Gonzalez to close the game as he forced Szczerba to foul out behind first base to end the game.

Carlton and Kyle Jackson each two hits in the loss for the Mocs as they finished with six for the game.

NSU recorded 14 hits, including a 3-for-4 effort at the plate by Melendez, while Asuaje, Reynolds, Sedell and Clements each had two hits in the win.

Norris (2-3) took the loss on the mound for the Mocs as he threw four innings and allowed 11 hits and five runs (five earned), while walking one and striking out two. Burnham also pitched four innings in relief and allowed three hits and one run, while walking walking and fanning three.

Westcott (3-2) pitched 8.2 innings and allowed six hits and two runs, while walking three and fanning five.

In the nightcap, the Sharks jumped out in front 1-0 in the bottom of the third inning as Acevedo led off with a singl, moved to second on a wild pitch by junior starter Brian Johnson (Oldsmar, Fla.) and advanced to third on a fly out to center by Asuaje and would score the game's first run on a sacrifce fly by Melendez. The RBI was Melendez's sixth of the series.

The Mocs took the lead in the fourth inning on three hits, including scoring its two runs on an RBI double to left center by Szczerba and an RBI single up the middle by Kyle Jackson. The other hit in the inning was a leadoff double to left by senior shortstop Kyle Gibbs (Sarasota, Fla.).

NSU would tie the game at 2-all in the bottom of the fourth inning on two singles, including an RBI single by Brandon Sedell and a throwing error by Johnson.

FSC would get two runners on bases in the fifth inning on a fielding error by Acevado at second base and a throwing error by starting pitcher Mitchell Buerosse, but Buerosse pitched out of the jam by getting Gibbs to pop out and then striking out Brugnoni to end the inning.

The Sharks took the lead in the sixth inning on a 2-run homer by Alex Marrero off of Johnson to take a 4-2 lead.

In the nightcap, the Mocs finished with five hits, including two from Gibbs, while NSU recorded six hits, including a 2-for-2 effort at the plate by Marrero and Sedell also added two hits in the win.

Johnson (3-5) was the hard luck loser on the mound for the Mocs as he pitched 5.1 innings and allowed five hits and four runs, while walking two and fanning one.

Buerosse (5-3) pitched a complete game as he allowed five hits and two runs, while walking one and fanning six in the nearly two-hour game.

The Mocs will return to action next weekend as they travel to Melbourne for a three-game SSC series at Florida Tech. The series will begin with a single nine inning game on Friday, April 19 at 6 p.m. and will be followed by a doubleheader beginning at 12 p.m. on Saturday, April 20.