SAVANNAH — The University of South Carolina Beaufort softball team split a pair of games against NCAA Division I opponents on Sunday at the Savannah State Lady Tiger Invitational. 

The Sand Sharks beat MEAC opponent Morgan State 5-2 in their first game of the day before suffering their first defeat of the season, 9-3 to host Savannah State in a rematch of a game USCB won 9-7 on Saturday. The Sand Sharks (5-1) finished the tournament with a 3-1 record, matching the host Tigers for the best mark in the event.

USCB did so without half of its pitching staff, as ace Kristy Cook and left-hander Caitlin Campbell were sidelined by illness. Sophomore Ashlie Layman did most of the work in the circle Sunday, throwing a complete-game three-hitter to beat the Bears and pitching 5 2/3 innings in relief against Savannah State. 

The Sand Sharks gave Layman (3-0) an early lead on Alexandria Simmons' RBI double and Sam Boland's sacrifice fly in the first inning. The Bears tied it with two in the third, but Shelby Zipperer's two-run double broke the deadlock in the fourth and Simmons followed with an RBI single to score Zipperer. 

Layman struck out six and worked around four walks to improve to 14-0 in her career. 

USCB found itself in a big hole early against Savannah State, as the Tigers pushed across six runs in the first inning. Freshman Kendall Jumper (1-1), who was outstanding in her collegiate debut in Saturday night's eight-inning win over Brewton-Parker, had a tough time with her control working on short rest. 

Layman came on in relief and held the Tigers to three runs the rest of the way, but USCB couldn't chip away at the lead. Simmons had a sacrifice fly in the third, and she and Mariaha Sanborn each added RBI singles later in the game.

The Sand Sharks are back in action next weekend at the NAIA Southern Challenge at National Training Center in Clermont, Fla., where they will face Mobile (Ala.), Truett-McConnell, Brewton-Parker and Thomas.