Slow Offensive Start Limits No. 16 Sharks in Game Two Loss to No. 2 Colorado Mesa

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – On a chilly evening at the NSU Baseball Complex, the No. 16 Nova Southeastern baseball offense took a few innings to warm, as the No. 2 Colorado Mesa Mavericks built an early lead. Despite steady relief pitching, the Sharks found the deficit insurmountable in Friday’s 6-2 loss.

INSIDE THE MATCHUP:
Final Score: Colorado Mesa – 6, Nova Southeastern – 2
Records:  Colorado Mesa (2-0), Nova Southeastern (1-4)
Location: NSU Baseball Complex, Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
Get Social: Twitter – @NSU_Baseball | Instagram – @NSU_Baseball | Facebook – /NSUSharksAthletics

HOW IT HAPPENED:
A bit chillier of an evening in the series opened on a different note in the play on the field, as CMU led off with a full count walk for Caleb Farmer, who came around to score on a double play ball secured by Tyler Epstein. Again, the Mavericks converted a full count walk in the second, as Tyler Parker got aboard with one out and came around to score on a Blaine DeMello RBI single to right field.
 
The lead grew to three runs for CMU in the third, as Tanner Garner led off with a double, stole third and came home on a DeMello sacrifice fly – in spite of the athletic play of Bryan Diaz to make the grab in right field at a dead sprint.
 
Staring down three consecutive innings with a single CMU score, starter Nathan Campbell worked out of a serious jam to change the Sharks’ defensive fortunes. Campbell had runners at the corners with no outs, fanning two and inducing a groundout to end the threat. In the fifth, he handed off to Jarret Krzyzanowski, who tossed three scoreless innings and fanned six of the first 10 batters he faced to match a career high.
 
However, Krzyzanowski reached his limit after 3.1 innings, as Parker’s RBI double to left center broke up a fifth shutout inning for the Sharks. NSU went to the bullpen for Brady Acker in his first appearance since 2018 – but the Sharks senior saw two additional runs reach the board before Tyler Epstein snagged a fouled-off ball to close the book on the eighth.
 
For the Mavericks, Trevin Reynolds (1-0) earned the win after tossing 5.0 innings, keeping the Sharks off the board with just two hits. The starter, Campbell (0-1) went 4.0 innings but absorbed the loss with three runs allowed.

STATS OF THE GAME:

  • With the loss, the Sharks’ record moves to 1-4..
  • Despite averaging 11 hits per game the first four games, the Sharks put five hits on the board and were held off until Brandon Chinea’s bullet up the middle in the fourth.
  • Batting in the leadoff position, Duncan Pastore was held without a hit for the first time in five games.
  • Leading the Sharks hitters, Fernandez went 2-for-4 with an RBI.
  • Diaz added the other RBI for NSU, going 1-for-3 on the night.
  • For the second straight game, Krzyzanowski calmed things down in relief, throwing three shutout innings before allowing a run.
  • Krzyzanowki matched his career high at six strikeouts with no walks, reaching the same total as his Feb. 19, 2019 count at North Greenville.
  • Krzyzanowski is at 3.86 ERA through 7.0 innings this season.
  • The record between these programs is now 0-2 for the Sharks.
  • Going 629 days between appearances, Acker’s outing was his first since facing Florida Southern at the NCAA South Regional on May 19, 2018.

DIRECT FROM COACH LAZ GUTIERREZ

UP NEXT
Nova Southeastern’s series with the Colorado Mesa Mavericks will conclude on Saturday, Feb. 8 at 1:00 p.m. at the NSU Baseball Complex.

SOCIAL
To stay up with all the latest with Sharks baseball., follow us on Twitter @NSU_Baseball, on Instagram @NSU_Baseball and on Facebook /NSUBaseball.
 
 

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