DAVIE, Fla.—The Barry Buccaneers dropped the opener of their Sunshine State Conference softball series to the Nova Southeastern Sharks 2-1 in eight innings at the AD Griffin Sports Complex Tuesday night.
Dakota Villella raced home from second with the winning run on a single by Megan Lee in the first extra frame.
The Bucs (19-11, 4-6 SSC) got on top in the first inning. Kayla Ogle singled and stole second and scored on a squeeze bunt by Hunter Mars. But that was the only run they managed, despite having runners in scoring position in the second, fifth, seventh and eighth.
Britney Pugh made the runs stand up until the seventh inning. The Sharks had chances, but Pugh stranded eight runners through the first five innings, including bases loaded jams in the fourth and fifth.
With one out in the seventh, Melanie Spicola tripled into right center and Taylor Sabol (6-6) came in to relieve Pugh. Spicola scored on a passed ball, but Sabol closed out the frame without further damage.
Leading off the eighth, Ogle doubled down the left-field line, but was thrown out trying to stretch it to three. The Bucs proceeded to load the bases on a single by Mars and walks to Julie Brito and Kristina Pazienza. But Erica Garcia (5-4) struck out Ashley Fernandez to end the threat.
In home half of the eighth, Villella singled to center with two outs and advanced to second on an error by Ogle. Lee drove in the game-winner with a single down the left-field line.
Sabol took the loss for the Bucs, allowing one unearned run in 1.1 innings. She walked one and gave up three hits. Pugh went 6.1 innings, giving up a run on four hits and four walks and struck out three. Garcia earned the win for the Sharks. In a complete-game effort, she allowed a run on seven hits and four walks and struck out three.
The series concludes with a doubleheader on Wednesday at 5:00 pm.
(03/25/14 at Davie, FL)
Nova Southeastern 2, Barry 1
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Barry............................. 100 000 00 - 1 7 1 (19-11, 4-6 SSC)
Nova Southeastern... 000 000 11 - 2 7 1 (15-14, 3-4 SSC)
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Pitchers: Barry - Britney Pugh; Taylor Sabol(7) and Alexis Kent. Nova Southeastern - Erika Garcia and Gina Bondarenko.
Win-Erika Garcia(5-4) Loss-Taylor Sabol(6-6) T-2:21 A-168
Weather: Florida