TAMPA, Fla. – The University of Tampa baseball team will battle Nova Southeastern in a three-game Sunshine State Conference matchup, marking the second SSC series for the Spartans.

The Matchup: No. 2 University of Tampa Spartans vs. No. 20 Nova Southeastern Sharks

Date/Time: Friday at 6 p.m., Saturday at 1 p.m. and 4 p.m.

Location: University of Tampa Baseball Field | Tampa, Fla.

About the Spartans: The Spartans are looking to bounce back after going 1-2 in their opening SSC matchup again Florida Tech. After starting 9-4 with a big win again the previous No. 1 North Greenville and a four-game sweep over No. 6 Georgia College, Tampa is seeking to take off in the SSC. After 13 games, UT stands at the top of the SSC in hitting with a .318 average, 116 runs scored, and 93 RBI. Leading the Spartans is Danny Sirven hitting .404 with 14 RBI and Yorvis Torrealba with a .389 average and 14 runs scored. Add to this .318 team average is Alec Aleywine, Danny Maynard along with recent successes from Cole Perry and Sam Freitas who compiled 11 hits and eight RBI last weekend. The Spartan pitching staff is expected to get back to work this weekend after a tough series on the rubber against Florida Tech. Tampa’s senior ace Keven Pimentel is 2-1 with an ERA of 1.88 and 25 strikeouts. Pimentel has gone 6.0-plus innings in the last three starts and expects to do the same against the Sharks. The other Spartan starters, Tanner Foster and Mason Duke have been nothing short of impressive as well. Duke leads the Spartans sitting at 3-0 with an ERA of 1.57.

About the Sharks: Nova Southeastern sits at a 9-4 record and 5-1 in SSC play after a sweep against Embry-Riddle. As a team, the Sharks are hitting .277 with 82 RBI and 90 runs scored. Leading the pack is senior outfielder Christian Demby with a .381 average, 14 RBI, and five home runs. Garrett Wolforth is a close second hitting .367 with 15 RBI and four home runs. On the mound for Nova, the freshman Nathan Campbell leads the Sharks with 20.0 innings pitch, an ERA of 2.70, and 19 strikeouts. Out of the bullpen the Sharks use Devin Meyer, Brock Minich. Gil Torres that combine for 19.4 innings pitched with 20 strikeouts.

Series History: Tampa leads Nova in the all-time series 43-19 and going 6-4 in the last 10 games. 

Tickets: Tickets for are $5 for adults, senior citizens, and coaches. Children under 12 will be admitted free. UT students, faculty and staff will be admitted free with a valid student ID.

Game Coverage: Fans may watch live at TampaSpartans.tv. Live stats are also available through TampaStats.com.

Follow UT Athletics: @TampaSpartans on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat and YouTube.

Text Alerts: UT also offers a free text messaging service that sends text alerts following all Spartan events. To sign up, please register at www.tampaspartans.com.

Front Row: Download the official app of UT Athletics on the Apple or Android store. Look for Tampa Spartans Front Row app to receive notifications from your favorite Spartan teams. The app is completely free.