Box Score 1 |
Box Score 2 FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – The Florida Southern College softball team jumped out to a commanding 9-0 lead in the top of the second in game one. Southern (7-10, 0-6 SSC) quickly saw their lead evaporate as Nova Southeastern University (12-9, 3-6 SSC) scored in the final four innings to take game one 11-9. The Sharks would rally in the bottom of the sixth inning in game two to complete the weekend sweep of the Mocs.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Nova Southeastern 11, Florida Southern 9
- The Mocs threatened in the top of the first inning loading the bases with two outs but were unable to advance a runner across the plate.
- Southern's offense got hot in the top of the second inning as the first eight batters reached base. Sophomore second baseman Celia Higgins led off the inning with a single which began a string of four consecutive base hits to open the inning. Freshman shortstop Kelsey Peck drove in the first run of the day as she singled through the right side to drive in Higgins. Junior pitcher Jenna Weldon came in to pinch-hit and was hit by a pitch to bring home senior outfielder Alex Mace as the runners moved up one base each.
- Senior Meghan Sexton collected the first extra-base hit for the Mocs as she doubled down the leftfield line to drive in Peck and Mace for a 4-0 Moccasin lead. Junior catcher Kensie Green and sophomore Maddi Conner extended the visitors lead to 6-0 on back-to-back base hits. Sophomore Beka Schulte would strikeout swinging for the first out of the inning.
- Coming up to bat for the second time in the inning, Higgins picked up her second hit of the inning as she loaded the bases with an infield single. Mace would clear the bases as she sent a shot to left-center to give the Mocs a commanding 9-0 lead with just one out. Southern's second inning would produce nine runs off of five hits as four batters came up to bat twice in the inning.
- The Sharks would load the bases with the two outs in the bottom half of the second inning but Weldon would work around that and get the third out on a fly ball to the shortstop.
- After a quite top half of the third inning for the visitors, Nova Southeastern would cut into the Mocs lead as they used three hits to drive in two runs.
- In the bottom of the fourth, NSU three of their four runs with two outs to cut the Mocs lead to just three, 9-6.
- Southern's bats began to cool off from its eventful second inning. With one out and two on the Sharks would use a triple to pull within one run. Wilson would get the second out of the innings on a line out to Peck at shortstop. The next Shark to come to the plate would tie the game as she singled to third base and drove in the runner from second.
- The Mocs would get a baserunner off an error by the Sharks shortstop abut she would be erased on a fielder's choice. With the game tied, NSU added the eventual game-winning run on a triple to centerfield and then saw they 11th and final run of the game cross home plate on a wild pitch.
- Florida Southern went down in order in the top of the seventh to end the game as they saw a 9-0 lead disappear over the middle innings of the game.
Nova Southeastern 3, Florida Southern 2
- Sophomore transfer Jessica Smith would come in to pinch run after Green opened the top of the second with a leadoff single. Smith would put her self in scoring position as she stole second and advance to third as she tagged up on a Conner fly out to the right fielder. After a strikeout for the second out of the inning, Higgins would single to center to drive in Smith for the first Florida Southern run.
- With one out in the bottom of the second inning, the Sharks tied the game at 1-1 on a double to right-center.
- Green would collect another leadoff hit for the Mocs. After two getting the next two batters out, the Sharks would give up a base hit to Higgins to drive in Green from second. In the bottom of the fourth, senior pitcher Kristen Beacham would work around a two-out single to leave the inning with the Mocs still in the lead, 2-1.
- Southern would go down in order in the top of the sixth as the hitting woes continued. Nova Southeastern would look to take the lead as the first two batters reached on back-to-back base hits to lead off the bottom of the sixth. Beacham would get the first out of the inning as the runner's advance to second and third. With one out, the Sharks catcher would single up the middle to and advance to second on the throw-in as both runners would score to give the home team a 3-2 lead. Beacham settled down and got a foul out and a pop fly to third base to send the game into the final inning.
- Mace would attempt to keep the game going as she got an infield single with two outs. Peck would reach on a fielder's choice but the game would end as Mace was forced out at second for the final out.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
- On the day the, Southern would score 11 runs on 17 hits as the home team produced 14 runs on 23 hits. Despite giving up 11 runs in game one and three runs in game two the Mocs defense stayed pretty clean as they committed just one error to the Sharks two on the day.
- FSC left 11 runners on base, while NSU left 16.
UP NEXT
The Mocs return home to Chris Bellotto Field for 14 straight. The 14-game homestand begins with a midday doubleheader against Lander on March 3. Southern will host the University of Tampa (March 6-7) for its first home conference series. This will also be during the Mocs alumni weekend as we welcome back softball alumni from the last 39 years.
