Sharks Drop Finale to Titans

Miami, FL - After clinching the series earlier in the day, Miami Dade couldn't complete the sweep as St. Petersburg College pulled away late for an 11-3 win in the series finale.

The Titans came out aggressive, capitalizing on early miscues to jump ahead 2-0 in the first inning. Miami Dade answered in the second, cutting the deficit to 2-1 on a sacrifice fly from Adrian Areizaga that brought home Leamsi Montanez.

However, defensive struggles and timely hitting from St. Petersburg created separation. The Titans added two more in the fourth and extended their lead to 6-1 in the fifth behind a two-RBI single from Ray Campusano.

The Sharks showed brief life late, scoring once in the seventh on a wild pitch and again in the eighth, but the game slipped out of reach as St. Petersburg exploded for a five-run eighth inning to put it away.

Miami Dade finished with six hits on the afternoon, with Montanez scoring twice and Areizaga driving in a run. Despite drawing four walks, the Sharks were unable to string together enough offense against Titans starter Chris Conde, who struck out eight over six strong innings.

On the mound, a bullpen-heavy effort for Miami Dade allowed 11 runs (nine earned) on 12 hits, while three defensive errors proved costly throughout the game.

With the series already secured, the Sharks move forward looking to build on the series win as conference play continues.