HARDEEVILLE, S.C. – A five-run eighth inning lifted the University of South Carolina Beaufort baseball team to a key Sun Conference victory Friday, as the Sand Sharks beat Northwood (Fla.) 7-2 in the opener of a three-game series at Richard Gray Sports Complex.
 
R.J. Neal's two-run single in the eighth gave the Sand Sharks (24-11, 11-5 Sun Conference) the lead, and USCB tacked on three more insurance runs in the inning, the last two scoring on Ty Main's sacrifice fly to the warning track in center.
 
Sophomore left-hander Alex Graham (5-2) picked up the win after pitching a scoreless eighth in relief of Michael Heesch.
 
Heesch turned in another strong outing, allowing two runs (one earned) on four hits over seven innings. He struck out nine before leaving with the score tied at 2. Heesch has 73 strikeouts on the season and needs only five more to match his own single-season school record set last season.
 
Left-hander Matt Barger struck out two in a perfect ninth to seal the win.
 
The trio of left-handers combined for 12 strikeouts while holding the Seahawks (16-17, 2-13) to five hits. Heesch did not allow a hit until Keneth Rivero's leadoff single in the fifth.
 
The series is scheduled to conclude with a doubleheader starting at noon Saturday. Left-hander Adam Miller and right-hander Kyle McCullough are slated to start on the mound for USCB.