Ferreira clubs solo home run

Box Score

FT. LAUDERDALE, Fla. (March 17, 2009) – Junior designated hitter J.D. Martinez (Pembroke Pines, Fla./Flanagan) went 2-for-4 with a two-run home run, drove in three runs and scored twice on Tuesday evening to lead No. 21 Nova Southeastern to a 6-2 victory over the Franklin Pierce University baseball team in non-conference play at NSU Baseball Complex. Senior left fielder Jacob Ferreira (Westport, Mass./Bishop Stang) hit a solo home run for Franklin Pierce in defeat.

Nova Southeastern opened the scoring with two runs in the bottom of the first inning. Freshman center fielder Chris Hamper (Melbourne, Fla./Eau Gallie) led off the frame with a single to center field and scored two batters later when Martinez belted a two-run home run to give the Sharks a 2-0 lead.

Franklin Pierce cut the deficit in half with a run in the top of the third inning. Fifth-year center fielder Cliff Hicks (Merrimack, N.H./Merrimack HS) led off and was hit by a pitch. Three batters later, Hicks scored from first on a double into the left-center field gap by junior right fielder Kevin Rivers (Bristol, Conn./Bristol Eastern).

Nova Southeastern pushed the lead to 4-1 with a pair of runs in the bottom half of the third. Hamper led off with a single through the middle of the infield, took second on a wild pitch and moved to third on a single through the left side by senior shortstop Dexter Butler (Key West, Fla./Univ. of South Fla.). After Martinez bounced into a fielder’s choice that saw Butler erased at second, junior first baseman Riann Spanjer-Furstenburg (Pretoria, Fla./Florida Atlantic Univ.) singled to right field to score Hamper from third and move Martinez to second. Martinez then moved to third on a flyout and scored on a single through the left side by freshman left fielder Robert Mesa (Pembroke Pines, Fla./Pines Charter).

The Sharks extended the lead to 5-1 with a run in the bottom of the fourth. With two outs, Hamper bounced a single through the left side, stole second and scored two batters later when Martinez singled to center field.

Franklin Pierce got as close as 5-2 with a run in the top of the sixth when Ferreira knocked a two-out, solo home run, his second of the season.

Nova Southeastern rounded out the scoring with a run in the bottom of the seventh inning to create the 6-2 final. Mesa led off and struck out, but reached first base via a passed ball. Mesa moved to second on a sacrifice, took third on a groundout and scored on an infield single to shortstop by sophomore second baseman Joshua Leo (Pembroke Pines, Fla./Archbishop McCarthy)

Sophomore right-hander Isaac Hicks (Fort Myers, Fla./Evangelical Christian) started on the mound and picked up the win (5-0) for Nova Southeastern. Over 6.1 innings, he gave up two runs on five hits, walked one, hit two batters and struck out four.

Freshman right-hander Nate Sermini (Great Barrington, Mass./Monument Mountain) started on the rubber and took the loss (0-1) for Franklin Pierce in his collegiate debut. Over 5.1 innings, he gave up five runs on 10 hits, walked two, hit two batters, threw a wild pitch and struck out four.

The Ravens (6-7, 0-0 Norteast-10) return to the field on Thursday, March 19, for a neutral-site, non-conference doubleheader against St. Thomas Aquinas. First pitch is scheduled for 10 a.m. at McCusker Sportsplex in Boca Raton, Fla. Franklin Pierce’s first home game is scheduled for Thursday, March 26 against Southern New Hampshire at 3 p.m. Nova Southeastern (22-5, 0-3 Sunshine State) returns to action on March 20 at home against Tampa.