#15 Spartans Sink Sharks In Series Opener

TAMPA, Fla. - The No. 15 University of Tampa softball team edged visiting Nova Southeastern on Saturday night with a 2-1 victory at home. With the win, the Spartans move to 19-2 on the season and a perfect 4-0 in Sunshine State Conference play, while the Sharks drop to 16-7 overall and 0-1 in league action.

The Spartans got out to a short-lived lead in the third inning when Susan Jallo singled home Julie Wisniewski who had reached on a fielding error.

The Sharks quickly rebounded however, as they touched up Tampa starter Deanna Henriott for a run the following inning. Henriott walked the leadoff hitter in the fourth and after a single and a sacrifice bunt, NSU's Brittany Phillips drove in the Sharks' lone run to tie the ballgame at one.

Despite the run, Henriott picked up her SSC-best 13th win of the season with a two-hit, 12-strikeout effort. Tampa regained the lead in the fifth when, after Katlyn Raatz opened the frame with a single to left, Katie Bannon and Brie Walton laid down back-to-back sacrifice bunts to put Raatz on third with two outs. Wisniewski then beat out a single to the shortstop, plating the game-winning run in Raatz.

The two squads will return to the field tomorrow afternoon for a noon-time doubleheader. Live stats will be available throughwww.tampaspartans.com. Fans may also follow University of Tampa athletics on Twitter (www.twitter.com/utspartans) and Facebook (www.facebook.com/tampaspartans). UT also offers blAst, a free text messaging service that sends text alerts following all Spartan events. To sign up, please register at www.tampaspartans.com.