BOCA RATON, Fla. – Lynn University's baseball team honored its senior class in the final home stand of the season and its seniors did not disappoint, leading the team to 8-0 and 7-2 doubleheader victories over Nova Southeastern. This marks LU's first three-game sweep of the Sharks since 2009. The Fighting Knights senior class combined to go 15-for-31 with seven runs scored and seven runs batted in while Jed Vandernaald tossed his first career complete game shutout. Lynn improves to 29-15 overall and 12-6 in the Sunshine State Conference.
Unlike game one of the series where the Blue & White needed to make a come-from-behind play, Lynn scored all the runs it needed in the opening frame. Senior Cory Elasik drove in the first run with a bases loaded single and senior Paul Stortini added two more with a two-out, two-run single.
The first of Freedman's three runs driven in off a sacrifice fly in the fourth made it 4-0 and Jason Matusik smashed his fourth home run of the year, a solo shot, to add to the LU advantage. The Fighting Knights continued to score runs in the sixth with another Freedman sac fly and Lashley, a senior second baseman made it 7-0 with a RBI single.
Lynn's final run came in the eighth when Freedman tallied his program-record third sac fly of the game.
Vandernaald (6-4) scattered four hits, striking out the side in the first and fanning at least one batter in six of nine innings.
Game two proved to be a continuation with the Blue & White grabbing an early 2-0 lead in the second frame. Elasik drove home his second run of the day with a RBI single up the middle followed by a Mike Gonzalez RBI fielder's choice.
Three more runs in the fourth from RBI base hits by Stortini, Gonzalez and a Sharks error put LU ahead 5-0 lead.
Kentrail Pierce (7-3) was solid over four innings, allowing two hits with two walks and two strikeouts.
But Nova Southeastern (24-16, 6-9 SSC) closed the gap in the sixth, taking advantage of three Fighting Knights' error to score two runs. Andrew Melchor came in and shut down the Sharks over the two final frames to earn his eighth save of the year.
The Fighting Knights return to the diamond on Saturday, April 28, at 7 p.m. when they travel to Saint Leo, Fla., to battle Saint Leo University. Fans can catch the action live at LynnFightingKnights.com and receive in-game updates by following @LUKnights on Twitter and Instagram.
