UT Baseball Throws a Full-Nelson to Stop Sharks in Series Opener

TAMPA, Fla. – Braydon Nelson shut the door on the Nova Southeastern University Sharks as they fell to the No. 2 University of Tampa Spartans on Friday.

Final Score:  No. 2 University of Tampa Spartans 6, Nova Southeastern University Sharks 2

Records: Tampa Spartans 21-4 (10-0 SSC), Nova Southeastern Sharks 12-11 (3-4 SSC)

Location: UT Baseball Field || Tampa, Florida.

All-Time Series: Tampa leads the series 54-22. The series is also a rematch of the 2022 NCAA South Super Region Finals.

HOW IT HAPPENED:

• Nova Southeastern quickly grabbed the lead in the top of the first inning. Adam Frank was the first baserunner for the Sharks as he roped a ground-rule double to left-center field. The following batter Duncan Pastore drove in Frank with an RBI single. | 1-0 Sharks
• The Sharks' lead was short-lived as the Spartans went in front in the bottom of the first inning. The first three Tampa batters reached safely, beginning with a Jordan Lala walk and Drew Ehrhard double to set up a scoring chance. J.D. Urso brought both runners in on a single into center field. | 2-1 Spartans
• Tampa extended their lead in the top of the third inning. Another leadoff walk proved costly for the Sharks as Ehrhard earned the free pass to begin the frame. Two batters later, E.J. Doskow doubled to the opposite field to put two runners in scoring position. A sacrifice fly from Santiago Garavito plated Ehrhard. | 3-1 Spartans
• Both teams traded runs in the fourth inning. Nova Southeastern began the top of the fourth inning with three consecutive singles to load the bases. Adam Smith cut the lead to one on a sacrifice fly into center field. A walk loaded the bases again for the Sharks, but they could not add any more as Tampa starting pitcher Michael Paul induced a double play to get out of the jam. | 3-2 Spartans
• E.J. Cumbo got things started for Tampa in the bottom of the fourth inning with an opposite-field double. He advanced to third base on a passed ball during Danny Gutcher's plate appearance, which allowed the Tampa catcher to bring in Cumbo to score on an RBI groundout. | 4-2 Spartans
• Tampa added a pair of runs in the bottom of the sixth inning. Cumbo led off with a single and moved all the way around the basepath by stealing a bag and advancing to third base and scoring on two wild pitches. The Nova Southeastern bullpen struggled to find the strike zone and walked the next three batters after Cumbo, loading the bases. An Ehrhard RBI single scored one runner. | 6-2 Spartans
• Braydon Nelson threw four no-hit innings in relief, earning his second save of the season. | Final: 6-2 Spartans

INSIDE THE STATS:

• Nelson struck out 4 and walked none in his no-hit relief outing
• Ehrhard went 2-4 with 2 RBI and a walk
• Cumbo went 2-4 with 1 double and 1 stolen base
• Lala walked 3 times while going 1-2 plus 1 stolen base

UP NEXT: The Spartans host the Sharks in a doubleheader on Saturday, March 25, with the first game beginning at 1 p.m.