Nova Southeastern Wins Division II Championship

CARY, N.C.—Nova Southeastern got in its final tuneups, packed its bags and made its way to North Carolina for the Division II College World Series, just like the other seven teams.

Except, they weren’t like the others.

It was their first trip among a sea of experienced teams, but that didn’t stop the Sharks from making a splash.

After playing from behind for a majority of its tournament games, Nova Southeastern won the national championship at USA Baseball’s National Training Complex, culminated by Saturday’s 8-6 victory over the Millersville (Pa.) Marauders.

“This team has mentality of being hot, we talked about it being red hot,” head coach Greg Brown said. “But they believed in each other.”

The Turnaround

Rewind a few months, and Nova was not on the championship radar. Actually, it wasn’t even on the playoff radar.

In mid-March Nova took an 11-10 record into a series with the reigning champion Tampa (Fla.). Three hard-fought games later, the Sharks were 13-11, and still faced quite the challenge moving forward. But the coach of the Spartans saw something in the Sharks.

“Joe (Urso) turns to me after the series and says ‘Y’alls pitching is gonna take you there,’” Brown said. “(I said) ‘I just hope that we get to the playoffs.’”

Around that same time, there was a clubhouse meeting. A few of the Sharks leaders got the guys together to address some internal issues. The Sharks have rattled off a 33-6 record since that meeting, and become more of a family than a team.

“It’s not for me, it’s for the guys,” said tournament MVP Devin Raftery, the team’s closer. “They’re the ones that give me the confidence to go out there and throw every pitch.”

Through their “Red Hot” slogan and themed team practices, it’s evident the Sharks are a fun loving group. “We’re a pretty loose bunch, in case y’all didn’t notice that,” Brown said.

From batting practice, to a claw machine at Dave & Buster’s, the Sharks showed how far they had come from that 11-10 start.

Trust The Process

A lot of different guys stepped up in different times for the Sharks this season. But that is how coach Brown envisions the team’s hitting.

“Hitting is a collective unit,” Brown said.

This strategy helps the Sharks stay cool in intense situations, by creating the thought that hitting is nine guys attacking a pitcher, a whole lineup against one arm like a feeding frenzy.

It is because of this, that, even upon being down in a late tournament game, center fielder Kevin Suarez felt no stress.

“Never any pressure,” Suarez said. “We just trust the process.“

This process, Nova’s hitting philosophy that promotes “nine against one,” situational hitting came up huge in game one.

The Sharks were down to their final out, down by one run against No. 3 seed Franklin Pierce (N.H.), when first baseman Andres Visbal laced a game-tying single up the middle.

“Funny to be sitting here when you were one out away from losing the opening round,” Brown said.

A walk-off single in the 12th by leadoff hitter Jancarlos Cintron, the Sharks’ second baseman, capped off the comeback for Nova, and the Sharks carried that momentum through the tournament.

Even playing from behind in each of their five games, and facing an assortment of other adversity, the Sharks never dropped their heads. “Our belief was constant,” Brown said.

In Game Two, Nova erased an early Lander (S.C.) lead with 12 runs across the fourth, fifth and sixth innings, but lost starting catcher Michael Hernandez to injury. This left the catching duties in the hands of freshman backstop Jake Anchia.

Anchia did not take long to make his presence known, delivering a two-run home run in the Sharks’ 5-2 win against Cal Poly Pomona to help propel the team into the finals.

“He might be a freshman, but this young man is battle tested and has gotten big hits for us all year long,” Brown said.

While overcoming adversity, Nova Southeastern still had to overcome Millersville, which was 53-5.  The Sharks fell behind early in both games, but as they had all season, different guys came through to make the big play for Nova.

“Being down is a mindset,” Brown said. “But when you have the team that we have, you know that you’re gonna score.”

On Friday, the Sharks topped Brandon Miller—No. 328 on the BA500—behind a big home run from Brandon Gomez.  On Saturday, a huge game from third baseman Daniel Zardon, and a “Shark tank” (also known as a home run) from Suarez helped erase a 3-0 deficit and beating the previously undefeated Jim McDade.

After finishing 44-16, 5-0 in the championship series, Nova Southeastern was the last team standing.

Champions

Now, sitting here with their gloves scattered around the diamond, and their jerseys covered with celebratory Gatorade, the Sharks are on top.

Suarez walks in to sit in the press conference, and lets out a “WOO,” while right fielder Kavan Thompson looks at him and smiles.

Raftery and Zardon are laughing about the Gatorade shower that drenched coach Brown. The Sharks are champions.

“It’s very humbling, because it’s not easy,” Brown said of winning it in the inaugural run.

Blame it on the competitive nature that resulted in seven toys from the claw machine at Dave & Busters.

Or the attitude that materialized the hot sauce in the dugout to promote the “red hot” theme.

Whatever it was, everyone embraced the family that Nova Southeastern became.

“We were in the right position all tournament long.” Brown said. “The vision of winning a nation title was real and vivid to everyone here.”

That vision is reality now.