The Nova Southeastern Baseball season ended in heartbreaking fashion, as the Sharks were defeated 3-2 by the Tampa Spartans in 12 innings on Sunday afternoon. NSU ends the season with a record of 36-17, 17-13 in Sunshine State Conference play.
INSIDE THE MATCHUP
RECORDS: Nova Southeastern 36-17, Tampa 44-11
SCORE: Nova Southeastern 2, Tampa 3
LOCATION: UT Baseball Field | Tampa, Fla.
GET SOCIAL: Instagram & Twitter – NSU_Baseball
HOW IT HAPPENED
TOP 2ND: The Spartans got on the scoreboard first in the winner-take-all game, scoring two runs in the top of the second to take an early 2-0 lead over the Sharks.
BOTTOM 3RD: With two outs in the inning Nova Southeastern cut the deficit in half with an RBI single from Daniel Irisarri, scoring Adam Frank. The Sharks had the bases loaded following the single but were unable to capitalize.
BOTTOM 5TH: Tyler Epstein led off the inning with a single that deflected off the mitt of the diving first baseman. Epstein manufactured the run on his own, as the shortstop advanced to third on a wild pitch before scoring on a dropped third strike, throw down to first base.
TOP 9TH: Matt Ornelas, who had entered the game as a reliever in the third inning, threw 6.1 innings of shutout relief, striking out six, while just allowing two hits. The left-hander held the Spartans at bay and put the Sharks in a position to win the game in the late innings.
BOTTOM 9TH: Michael Avendano worked a lead-off walk as the Sharks had the winning run on base with no outs in the inning. Later in the inning, Bryce Hazzard lined a single to left field, allowing Alex Hernandez to move into scoring position for NSU. Stephen Schissler was called upon as a pinch runner for Hernandez, as Tampa made a move to the bullpen. Epstein lined a single to right, loading the bases for Adam Frank, with the winning run just 90 feet away. Tampa escaped the bases loaded jam, and the winner-take-all contest went into extra innings.
TOP 10TH: Head Coach Laz Gutierrez called upon his closer, Michael Dillon, as the game turned over into extra innings.
TOP 12TH: It took three extra innings for either side to crack the scoreboard again, but the Spartans did first, recording two straight hits and scoring the go-ahead run with a double.
BOTTOM 12TH: The Sharks were unable to tie the game, despite having a pair of runners reach base, as their season came to a heartbreaking end in Tampa.
UPCOMING
The Sharks will be back in action in the Spring of 2023. For updates, be sure to follow on Twitter and Instagram at @NSU_Baseball
Original source can be found here.
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