Southeastern (17-8) at No. 14 USC Beaufort (18-4)

The University of South Carolina Beaufort softball team opens Sun Conference play Friday with a doubleheader against Southeastern (Fla.) at Richard Gray Sports Complex. The 14th-ranked Sand Sharks are seeking their second straight conference title, while second-year program Southeastern is one of the top challengers. The Fire, who have won five straight and eight of nine, just missed the top 25 this week, ranking third among others receiving votes. USCB has won three straight by a combined score of 25-3 and has won 11 of its 12 home games this season. USCB will observe "OLLI Day At The Park" on Friday, with guest's from the school's Osher Lifelong Learning Institute enjoying the Sand Sharks' home softball and baseball games. 

LEADING OFF

WHEN: Friday, 1 p.m. (DH)

WHERE: Richard Gray Sports Complex, Hardeeville

CURRENT USCB STREAK: W3

CURRENT SEU STREAK: W5

USCB AT HOME IN 2014: 11-1

SEU ON THE ROAD IN 2014: 0-0 (5-4 neutral)

LIVE COVERAGE

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

Streaming video: The County Channel

Live stats: Stretch Internet

SCOUTING SOUTHEASTERN

The Fire tied for third in the Sun Conference in their inaugural season a year ago and has notched a pair of wins over top-10 teams this year, beating Auburn Montgomery (Ala.) and Belhaven (Miss.). Southeastern's two greatest strengths have been a dominant pitching staff (1.22 ERA, 143 strikeouts) and aggressive and effective baserunning (72 stolen bases). Emily Bryant (6-3, 0.79 ERA) and Anna Schillinger (2-0, 0.60 ERA) anchor the pitching staff, while Kim Pierce (.444 BA, 2 HR, 10 RBIs) and DeVyn Barker (.322, 5 HR, 17 RBIs) lead a balanced offense.

HEAD-TO-HEAD

ALL-TIME: Tied 1-1

CURRENT STREAK: USCB W1

ALL-TIME AT USCB: Tied 1-1

CURRENT STREAK AT USCB: USCB W1

NOTES

• USCB is 37-10 all-time in March and has won at least 18 of its first 22 games in all three seasons of the program's existence. 

• USCB is 62-8 all-time at Richard Gray Sports Complex and 69-11 in games played in the state of South Carolina.

• The Sand Sharks rank in the top 25 in the NAIA in seven batting categories: home runs per game (12th, 1.0), batting average (13th, .364), slugging (13th, .545), hits (15th, 223), hits per game (16th, 10.136),  runs scored (21st, 151) and RBIs (22nd, 133).

• Five USCB starters boast batting averages over .400 — Mariaha Sanborn (.510), Maddie Byrd (.488), Missy Hughes (.446), Alexandria Simmons (.412) and Taylor Triplett (.406) — while Chelsey Blasingame (.392) is just shy of the mark. 

• Junior 3B Mariaha Sanborn leads the Sun Conference in batting average (.510), slugging (.863), on-base percentage (.561) and RBIs per game (1.16), while junior 1B/DP Taylor Triplett leads the league in hits per game (1.4), RBIs (23), home runs (6), home runs per game (0.3), total bases (52) and total bases per game (2.6). 

• Junior 1B/DP Taylor Triplett has reached base in 16 straight games and 19 of 20 for the season. Sophomore OF Missy Hughes has hit safely in seven straight games and 12 of her last 13 while Alexandria Simmons has reached base in 17 straight games and hit safely in five straight and 16 of 17. 

• USCB pitchers have combined for 136 strikeouts, 15th-most in the NAIA, and rank 16th in the NAIA in opponents' batting average (.212). Sophomore Ashlie Layman is 27th nationally with eight wins, 31st in strikeouts per game (7.88) and 34th in total strikeouts (63).

RELATED LINKS

USCB Season Statistics

Sun Conference Softball Standings

USCB Sand Sharks on Facebook

USCB Athletics on Twitter