Auburndale, Fla. – Stockton University (4-2-1) defeated Worcester State (2-1) 6-3 in the first game of its spring break trip to Florida. The Ospreys snapped a 3-3 tie with two runs in the seventh inning and one in the eighth.
 
Sam Nieves (South Plainfield/South Plainfield) went 3-4 with a double, triple, two runs and an RBI. Jordan Nitti (Hamilton/Steinert) and Ryan Swift (Sewell/Washington Twp.) added two hits apiece.
 
Stockton scored three runs in the bottom of the fourth for a 3-0 lead. Nieves ripped an RBI triple and also scored on an error in the frame. Worcester State rallied with one run in the fifth inning and two in the seventh for a 3-3 tie.
 
The Ospreys quickly responded with two runs in the bottom of the seventh to take the lead for good. Tommy Talbot (Howell/Howell) drove in the go-ahead run with a fielder's choice and later scored on an RBI single by Nitti.
 
Nieves singled, stole second and eventually scored on a sacrifice fly by John Perrino (Wall/Wall) in the bottom of the eighth to make it 6-3. Phil Santa Maria (Absecon/ACIT) struck out the side in the ninth inning to cap the 6-3 triumph.
 
Santa Maria came out of the bullpen, whiffed five of the seven batters that he faced and did not allow a hit in 2.1 scoreless innings of work to earn his second win of the season.
 
After a late night at the ballpark, Stockton will be back on the field tomorrow morning for a doubleheader against Western New England College that starts at 10 a.m.