Box Score FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. - A five-run fifth inning gave Nova Southeastern the lift it needed to open a weekend Sunshine State Conference series with a 7-1 win over the Eckerd softball team on Friday night.
The Tritons (13-20, 2-8 SSC) had trouble generating offense against reigning conference pitcher of the week Lexie Storrer, managing only two hits for the game.
One of those hits in the second inning, driving in Eckerd's lone run of the night. Â After
Carrie Shere reached base on an error and advanced to second on a wild pitch,
Dana Paul singled up the middle to bring Shere home.
Unfortunately for Eckerd, Storrer shut down the bats for the rest of the game allowing no hits and three walks over the last five innings.
A pair of errors and a wild pitch contributed to NSU's first run of the game in the bottom of the first inning. Â After Eckerd tied it in the second, the Sharks (17-17, 5-5 SSC) took the lead for good in the third on a sacrifice fly by Megan Granitto.
Nova later gave Storrer more than enough of a lead with which to work, plating five runs in the fifth inning on four hits.
Nikole Van Gennep (8-14) took the loss, allowing three runs in five total innings of work. Â Van Gennep tossed the first four innings, then returned to the circle with no outs in the fifth after NSU put five consecutive runners on base.
Chelsea Armstrong accounted for Eckerd's other hit, singling with two outs in the first inning.
The two teams return to the field for a doubleheader tomorrow beginning at 1:00 PM.
