BOCA RATON, Fla.—After the squad's two seniors, Marianne Johnson and Danielle O'Rourke, were recognized, Lynn University's softball team lost both games of a Sunshine State Conference doubleheader to the Nova Southeastern University Sharks on Saturday 6-0 in the first game and then 3-1 in the second game.
Freshman Christina Carvatta and Sophomore Carisa Cook both registered two hits each for Lynn (2-38, 1-16 SSC) on the day.
Freshman Missy Montgomery took the circle for Lynn in game one and went the complete game, giving up nine hits, five earned runs, no walks while striking out three.
After Nova took a 1-0 advantage in the top of the second, Lynn looked to answer in the bottom of the third as Carvatta collected a two-out hit then stole second. Bianca Savulak then ripped a ball into right field to put runners on the corners with two outs. Nova's pitcher, Sara DeMuth then struck out the next Lynn batter to end the threat.
The Sharks looked to add to their tilt in the top of the sixth as they put runners on first and second with no outs. Montgomery then forced a ground out and a line out before Nova's Katie Kelton stepped up to the plate.
With runners on second and third and two outs, the speedy Kelton grounded a ball just in front of home. Lynn catcher, Johnson, fielded the ball, faked a throw the first the tagged out the runner trying to score to end the inning with a clever defensive play.
Montgomery held the Sharks in check and kept the Fighting Knights in the game for six innings as the freshman only allowed two runs on six hits through six. The Sharks created some space though with a three-run home run in the seventh and four runs in the frame to make it a 6-0 game.
Lynn totaled five hits to Nova's nine but did not commit an error in the game.
In game number two, Kasey Murray received the start and cruised through the first inning with two strikeouts and no walks.
Nova put runners on second and third with one out in the second inning before Murray retired the next two batters to get out of the frame unscathed.
The Sharks then put the first run on the board in the third inning on two walk and a hit to give them the 1-0 lead.
In the fourth inning, Murray retired the first two batters before Nova put a runner on first from a Lynn error. Murray then walked the next three batters and Nova collected another run.
Montgomery came in to relieve Murray after the three walks and ended Nova's half of the fourth on two pitches.
The Sharks added another run in the fifth to make it a 3-0 game.
The Fighting Knights looked to make comeback in the sixth as Savulak walked with one out then moved to second on a passed ball. Kaci Vassallo then registered her team-leading 11th RBI of the season with a two-out single to center field to score Savulak and make it a two-run game.
Lynn needed a three-up-three-down inning in the seventh from its defense and received exactly that. Johnson started things out by diving into the net to catch a foul ball for one out followed by a Vicky Naginsky snatch at third on a line shot. Garceau then fielded a slow roller on the move at short and fired to first. Murray made the catch and a sweeping tag to tally the third out of the inning for Lynn.
Down by two, Anne Marie Van Casteren led off the bottom of the seventh with a hard-hit line drive to right field but was thrown out at first on the play. Cook then singled to center but Nova collected outs on the next two batters to end the game with the 3-1 win.
The Fighting Knights and the Sharks conclude their SSC series on Sunday, April 15, at 11 a.m. Fans can listen to the game live on LynnFightingKngihts.com by clicking on the Game Central icon.
