Fort Lauderdale, Fla. – Often times in baseball, one swing can change the course of a ballgame and the Nova Southeastern Sharks put that to the test on Friday night as a pair of home runs early in the game helped guide them to victory over Florida Tech in the opening game of the final series of the season for both teams.

INSIDE THE MATCHUP:
Final: Nova Southeastern 7, Florida Tech 2
Records: Florida Tech (22-25, 11-17 SSC) | Nova Southeastern (25-22, 14-14 SSC)
Location: NSU Baseball Complex | Fort Lauderdale, Fla.  
 
STATS OF GAME:

• The Sharks broke the ice with two out in the bottom of the second inning when Stephen Schissler lined a 2-2 pitch from Panthers starting pitcher Danny Vassallo down the left field line that stayed fair to give NSU the lead.
• Nova did not let up in the bottom of the third as Michael Uz's one-out single to center kickstarted a rally. Adam Frank would follow with a single to center that put runners at the corners for Duncan Pastore.
• Pastore added to the lead with an opposite field single to right to drive in Uz and after Daniel Irisarri walked to load the bases, a sacrifice fly off the bat of Kristian Noriega would make it a 3-0 ballgame. Vassallo would limit the damage in the inning by inducing a popout to end.
• NSU would add on a quick pair in the fourth as Schissler led off with a double into right center and would trot home shortly after that when Jarrett Hall's drive down the left field line left the park for a two-run homer.
• The Sharks would add further to their lead in the bottom of the seventh against new Tech reliever Andres Tapia.
• Frank would lead off with single to left and after Pastore was hit by a pitch and Irisarri drew a walk, the bases were loaded once again for Noriega.
• His sacrifice fly to left increased the Nova lead to six but they would manage no further as Tapia was able to draw a lineout and strikeout.
• The Crimson and Gray broke through in the top of the eighth against NSU reliever Jarret Krzyzanowski as Jason Blackstone's one-out walk put a runner on for Josh Ford.
• Ford's two-run drive to deep left, his third home run of the season, would bring the Panthers within 6-2.
• The Sharks immediately responded in the bottom of the eighth as Hall led off the frame with second home run of the game to restore NSU's lead to five.
• Florida Tech would get two men on in the top of the ninth but Brett Kelly lined into a double play that ended the game.
• Blackstone, Ford and Sam Schner were responsible for six of Tech's seven hits.
• Vassallo tossed six innings in his final outing of the season, surrendering five runs on nine hits while striking out a season-high eight and walking only a pair.

BEYOND THE BOX SCORE:

• The Panthers are now 29-27 all-time against the Sharks.
• Blackstone's two hits bring his season total to 60, making him the third different Panther second baseman over the last three full seasons to tally 60 base hits. He joins Dylan Dohanos (68, 2022) and Rodnie Bernard (63, 2019). This was his 23^rd multi-hit game of the season.
• Schner recorded his 14^th multi-hit effort of the campaign and fourth in his past seven games.
• Vassallo finishes his junior season having struck out 155 batters in 161 and one-thirds innings of work in a Crimson and Gray uniform. Of those innings thrown, only 12 of his 46 appearances have been starts.

UP NEXT: The Panthers will play their final games of the 2023 season tomorrow, Saturday May 13^th, with a doubleheader against the Sharks. First pitch is scheduled for 1 P.M.

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