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Russo
Russo
April 4, 2025

Softball Drops Series Opener To #16 Nova

Box Score

Davie, Fla. - The University of Tampa's Softball team was back on the road this evening for a Top 20 matchup. The Spartans (Who recently rose to the #1 spot) traveled to face the #16 ranked Nova Southeastern. This series is also a battle of the top two teams in the Sunshine State Conference standings. Tampa has been dominant all year long but will now face their toughest tests of the season, starting with game one tonight. 

INSIDE THE MATCHUP:

Records: #1 Tampa Spartans 32-1 (15-0 SSC), #16 Nova Southeastern 28-9 (11-4 SSC) 

Location: NSU Softball Stadium l Davie, Fla

History: Tonight's contest was the 69th matchups all-time between these two programs. With the loss, Tampa still leads the series 40-29. 

Final: #1 Tampa 0, #16 Nova Southeastern 1

HOW IT HAPPENED:

To begin this highly anticipated matchup, the Spartans were able to earn the first baserunner of the game after Lilly Kiester drew a walk. Kiester's walk in the top of the first was the only baserunner the Spartans could manage as the Sharks got out of the inning clean.  Gwen McGinnis got the start in the circle for Tampa, fresh off being named to the NFCA Pitcher of the Year watchlist. She began her night by inducing a weak ground ball for an easy out. While the Sharks were able to punch through a hit up the middle, McGinnis shut the rest of the inning down with a strikeout and another groundout. To lead off the top of the second inning, Alexa Russo smashed a double off the left field wall. Unfortunately for Tampa, Nova Southeastern made multiple outstanding plays in the field to keep Russo at second base and get out of the inning. In the bottom half of the second, McGinnis went right back to work. She struck out the first batter of the inning before inducing two more weak ground balls. The score remained 0-0 through the third inning as both McGinnis and her Shark counterpart continued to pitch lights out. After the Spartans were unable to put up a run in the top of the fourth, the Sharks opened the scoring in the bottom half. With two outs and tw runners on, Nova put a ball off the wall to score the game's first run. McGinnis was able to bear down to get out of the inning, stranding runners on second and third. Tampa was unable to earn a baserunner for the second straight inning in the top of the fifth, leaving Tampa scoreless with six outs left. McGinnis did her job in the bottom half, throwing up a zero to keep the Spartans just one run away. In the top of the sixth, Lilly Kiester was able to draw a walk and steal second to put herself in scoring position but the Spartans came up empty again. Gwen McGinnis once again came up huge for Tampa, striking out two to keep the scoreline 1-0 heading into the final inning of regulation. With only three outs left, the Spartans needed to push across one run. With one out already gone in the top of the seventh, Abby Sulte singled to left to give Tampa a chance. However she would be the only Spartan to reach base as the Sharks escaped game one with 1-0 win. This loss ends the program's record breaking 28 game winning streak. 

INSIDE THE STATS: 

UP NEXT: The Spartans will be back at the NSU Softball Stadium for a doubleheader in less than 24 hours. Game one will start at 1:00pm with game two starting shortly after on Saturday.