The University of South Carolina Beaufort softball team returns home for a non-conference doubleheader against Montreat (N.C.) at 5 p.m. Friday at Richard Gray Sports Complex. The Sand Sharks also will observe Military Appreciation Day with several activities planned to raise funds for an armed forces-related charity to be determined. USCB is coming off a 3-1 showing in the NAIA Southern Challenge last weekend in Clermont, Fla. The Sand Sharks also will be at home Sunday, hosting Virginia Intermont for a doubleheader at 1 p.m.

LEADING OFF

Date: Friday, Feb. 21

Time: 5 p.m. (DH)

Location: Richard Gray Sports Complex, Hardeeville

Head-to-head: First meeting

LIVE COVERAGE

TV: The County Channel (Hargray 9/113, Comcast 2, Time Warner 63)

Streaming video: The County Channel

Live stats: Stretch Internet

SCOUTING MONTREAT

The Cavaliers are opening their season Friday after having a four-game series canceled because of bad weather last weekend. They're entering their second season under coach Heather Branum and looking to turn things around after a 4-37 campaign in 2013. Montreat returns its top two hitters from a year ago in 2B Alecia Rhinehart (.396 BA, 6 HR, 25 RBIs) and P Victoria Hull (.337 BA, 12 runs) and Hull was also the team's top pitcher last season, going 2-11 with a 5.51 ERA. 

NOTES

• USCB is 25-3 all-time in February and has won at least eight of its first 10 games in all three seasons of the program's existence. 

• USCB is 53-7 all-time at Richard Gray Sports Complex and 59-9 in games played in the state of South Carolina.

• USCB is 4-0 all-time against teams from North Carolina with all four games coming against St. Andrews. 

• USCB has claimed three of the four weekly Sun Conference awards handed out so far this season, with sophomore Ashlie Layman earning Pitcher of the Week honors last week and juniors Kristy Cook (Pitcher of the Week) and Mariaha Sanborn (Player of the Week) sweeping the awards this week.

• The Sand Sharks rank in the top 10 in the NAIA in four batting categories: doubles (1st, 22), hits (6th, 98), home runs per game (9th, 1.0) and runs scored (9th, 64).

• Sophomore 1B/DP Taylor Triplett ranks second in the NAIA in home runs (3) and third in hits (15) and total bases (28), while Sanborn ranks second in doubles (5). 

• USCB pitchers have combined for 65 strikeouts, second-most in the NAIA. Layman is sixth nationally with 30 strikeouts and ranks fifth in wins (4). 

RELATED LINKS

USCB Season Statistics

Sun Conference Softball Standings

USCB Sand Sharks on Facebook

USCB Athletics on Twitter