DAVIE, Fla.—The sixth-ranked Barry Buccaneers continued their outstanding season with a sweep of the Nova Southeastern Sharks in Sunshine State Conference softball action at AD Griffin Sports Complex on Saturday. The Bucs took game one 10-2 and the finale 4-0. The wins, coupled with the loss by Tampa in the series finale against Rollins, moved the Bucs into a tie for first place in the conference.
The Bucs (28-5, 11-1 SSC) put up a pair of five-run innings in game one. Natalia Ojeda keyed a five-run second with a bases-loaded double that cleared the bases. Kayla Monroy and Alyssa Goldsmith both added RBI singles.
Jessica Tabor powered the five-run seventh with a grand slam, her first homer of the season, while Goldsmith added another RBI single.
Alexis Yohe (10-2) earned the win. She allowed two runs (one earned ) on six hits and a walk and struck out seven. Sara DeMuth (14-14) took the loss for the second straight game in the series. She gave up five runs (three earned) on six hits and two walks and recorded two strikeouts.
In the series finale, Brianna Smith (15-3) tossed her ninth shutout, and sixth in seven SSC starts, to lead the Bucs. Though she struck out just one, she held the Sharks to four hits and two walks to complete her ninth clean sheet of the season and keep a tie for the national lead with Tampa’s Deanna Henriott.
Sarah Broeseker powered the offense, going two-for-three with three RBI. Julie Brito also had two hits, while Kelly Martinez scored twice.
In the third inning, Martinez reached on an error, stole second and went to third on a ground out. Broeseker dropped down a perfect squeeze bunt to bring her home.
In the fourth, Brito had a one-out single and with two outs, Martinez walked. Both move up on a wild pitch by DeMuth and Ojeda walked to load the bases. Broeseker delivered an single down the right field line to score Brito and Martinez.
Smith came across herself in the fifth. She and Brito had back-to-back one out singles and Amber Durkin bunted them both over. Smith scored on a passed ball by Sharks catcher Gina Bonderenko.
DeMuth took the loss in game two, striking out six, but allowing four runs (two earned) on six hits and four walks. It was the second time this season that the Bucs have hung three losses on the same pitcher in a conference series, having beaten Florida Tech three times behind Brianna Barth, and the second time that DeMuth has lost all three games in a series. She also fell in three straight to Rollins.
The Bucs travel to play the Palm Beach Atlantic Sailfish on Wednesday, Mar. 28 before returning home on Mar. 30-31 to host the Tampa Spartans. The Bucs and Spartans currently sit atop of the SSC standings with identical 11-1 marks.
(03/24/12 at Davie, FL)
Barry 10, Nova Southeastern 2 (Game 1)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Barry......................... 050 000 5 - 10 11 1 (27-5, 10-1 SSC)
Nova Southeastern... 000 001 1 - 2 6 2 (20-17, 5-6 SSC)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Pitchers: Barry - Alexis Yohe and Kayla Monroy. Nova Southeastern - Sara DeMuth; Laura Saladrigas(5) and Gina Bondarenko.
Win-Alexis Yohe(10-2) Loss-Sara DeMuth(14-13) T-1:56
HR BU - Jessica Tabor (1).
Weather: enthralling
Barry 4, Nova Southeastern 0 (Game 2)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Barry......................... 001 210 0 - 4 6 0 (28-5, 11-1 SSC)
Nova Southeastern... 000 000 0 - 0 4 1 (20-18, 5-7 SSC)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Pitchers: Barry - Brianna Smith and Kayla Monroy. Nova Southeastern - Sara DeMuth and Gina Bondarenko.
Win-Brianna Smith(15-3) Loss-Sara DeMuth(14-14) T-1:43 A-81
Weather: enticing