Box Score
HARDEEVILLE, S.C. — It took 12 scoreless innings and a 95-minute rain delay before Ty Main's RBI single in the bottom of the 13th inning broke a scoreless tie and gave the University of South Carolina Beaufort baseball team a 1-0 win over Florida Memorial in the opener of their Sun Conference series Friday at Richard Gray Sports Complex.
The Sand Sharks (18-6, 6-1 Sun Conference) continued their best start to conference play in their four-year history by outlasting the Lions (12-16-1, 4-6) — and the weather.
USCB left-hander Michael Heesch and Florida Memorial right-hander Mike Hardison matched zeroes on the scoreboard for the first nine innings — and Hardison posted two more in the 10th and 11th before the rain forced a suspension of play in the top of the 12th.
That was all for Hardison, who allowed 10 hits and one walk while striking out five.
Heesch struck out 10 and allowed two hits and a walk before handing it over to his bullpen. Colton Rudd worked two scoreless innings to keep the Sand Sharks alive, and Andrew Barrineau (2-0) struck out five of the six batters he faced in two perfect innings for the win.
R.J. Neal helped preserve the shutout with a diving catch to end the ninth, stranding what would have been the go-ahead run at third when he sprinted into shallow center field and laid out to rob Ruddy Ruiz of a hit.
After stranding 17 runners through the first 12 innings, the Sand Sharks finally broke through in the 13th against closer Ruiz.
Gabe Torres beat out an infield single and advanced to second on a throwing error to start the inning, then moved to third on Neal's sacrifice bunt. The Lions elected to intentionally walk Keifer Youmans and Weldon Smith to load the bases, and Main lofted a deep fly ball that left fielder Kenny Hollins allowed to sail over his head for the winning hit.
Torres and Dylan Nasiatka each had three hits, and Main, Youmans and Conald Mansfield added two apiece for USCB.
The series concludes with a doubleheader at noon Saturday. Left-hander Adam Miller will start the opener for USCB, and right-hander Kyle McCullough will start the second game.
