Hardeeville, SC- Larry Perry, Sr., Winnsboro, SC, lived every child's young dream at Richard Gray Stadium on Friday against Embry-Riddle University.  With two outs ,bases loaded, and a full-count in the 11th inning Perry hit a grounder through the left side of the infield to give the USCB Sand Sharks the win over the #6 ranked Eagles. 

 

Embry-Riddle jumped out to an early 5-0 lead on the Sand Sharks, who struggled offensively and defensively, to start the game.  Finally, in the bottom of the fifth inning the Sand Sharks were able to string together a few hits and get on the board to go down 5-1.  The one run seemed to spark the rest of the Sand Sharks as they played strong defense, kept the Eagles batters off-balance at the plate, and began having confidence at the plate. The Sand Sharks went on to score one more run in the sixth, and two runs in, both, the seven and eighth inning.  The second run of the eighth inning gave the Sand Sharks their first lead of the day heading into the top of the ninth.  The Eagles were able to score a run to tie the game in the top of the ninth and then held off the Sand Sharks in the home half of the final inning. 

 

In the bottom half of the eleventh inning Daniel Wass, Jr., Pensacola, FL, singled to the right side to start the rally with one out.  Ty Main, Jr., Baltimore, MD drew a walk, and the David O'Neil, Jr., Ludlow, VT, singled, as well, to load the bases.  Spencer Jackson, Sr., Springfield, GA, popped up to the first basemen to draw the second out.  Larry Perry then stepped up, after replacing Conald Mansfield, Jr., Pensacola, FL, in the 8th inning after Mansfield hit a single, to take his turn at the plate.  Perry's hit split the shortstop and third basemen and rolled to the left-fielder and Wass scored the winning run. 

 

The Sand Sharks snapped Embry-Riddle's 13 game win streak and gave them their third loss of the season, first in Sun Conference play.  Andrew Barrineau, Jr., Varnville, SC, got the win for the Sand Sharks as he pitched three innings in relief.  Gabe Torres, Jr., Safety Harbor, FL, was 3-for-5 on the day scoring one run and driving in two RBI's from his seventh spot in the batting order. 

 

With the win the Sand Sharks are now 16-6, overall, and 6-4 in Sun Conference play.  USCB will be back at home on Saturday, March 12th, to play Embry-Riddle University in a double-header.  The first pitch is set to start at 12:00 pm at Richard Gray Stadium in Hardeeville, SC.  You can also watch the game live via the internet, www.uscbathletics.com.