HARDEEVILLE, S.C. – The messages of excitement started cropping up on Twitter early in the week after the University of South Carolina Beaufort baseball team first saw the special camouflage jerseys it would wear for Military Appreciation Day on Friday at Richard Gray Sports Complex.
 
“It meant a lot to everybody,” senior designated hitter Conald Mansfield said. “Most of us have friends or family members who have been over there, so this was very important to us. We were excited to wear the camo jerseys and represent them today.”
 
The Sand Sharks made it a day to remember on the field, too, rallying from an early three-run deficit for a 5-4 win over Webber International to keep pace in the crowded race for the Sun Conference title.
 
USCB (32-14, 18-7 Sun Conference) remains one game behind league leader Embry-Riddle and a half-game ahead of St. Thomas, whose game against Florida Memorial was delayed by lightning Friday night.
 
The Sand Sharks' excitement might have been a bit too much on the special day, which featured guests from the military throwing out the first pitch for baseball and softball, a group from the U.S. Marine Corps presenting the colors before the baseball game, and a fundraising effort on behalf of the Wounded Warrior Project.
 
USCB began the game a bit overzealous at the plate, and left-hander Steven Arvanitis kept them off-balance for the first four innings.
 
“Everybody was just a little too geared up, and he was throwing a little slower than what we were used to,” Mansfield said. “Coach just told us to get up on the plate and scoot up in the box and take that away from him.”
 
The Sand Sharks began to hit Arvanitis harder in the fifth, when Erik Armstrong's line-drive home run down the left-field line got them on the board. They added two more in the inning on RBI singles by Dom Hayes and David O'Neil to tie it at 3.
 
Webber International regained the lead in the sixth, but Mansfield's single through the right side scored the tying and go-ahead runs in the bottom of the inning to put USCB back in front.
 
USCB ace Michael Heesch (8-1) allowed 11 hits but minimized the damage to four runs (three earned) while striking out four. Andrew Barrineau allowed one hit over two scoreless innings for his first save.
 
It was an extra-special day for Barrineau, whose father has long served In the Army National Guard.
 
“You always see the Division I guys getting to do this sort of thing, and me being a military guy – my dad has been in it my whole life, since his early-20s,” Barrineau said. “Unfortunately, my dad couldn't be here today, so I came out here today and was definitely thinking about him. These guys are fighting for our country, and we just want to show our appreciation.”
 
The series concludes with a doubleheader at noon today. Senior left-hander Adam Miller and junior right-hander Kyle McCullough are scheduled to start for USCB.
 
It will be Youth Day and Senior Day at the ballpark. One adult will be admitted free when accompanying a child in his or her baseball or softball uniform, and children in uniform will be invited to participate in special pre-game and post-game activities. In between games of the doubleheader, all USCB senior athletes will be honored.