CLERMONT, Fla. – The University of South Carolina Beaufort softball team split its first two games in the Sun Conference Tournament on Thursday, beating St. Thomas 4-0 before falling to Ave Maria 4-1 at Legends Way Ballfields at the National Training Center.

The No. 2 seed Sand Sharks blanked the Bobcats behind a four-hit shutout from Sun Conference Pitcher of the Year Kristy Cook (20-4), who struck out three and walked two. Taylor Triplett provided most of the offense for USCB with a three-run home run in the third inning, and the Sand Sharks tacked on a run on Shelby Zipperer's RBI double in the fifth. Zipperer, Whitley Martin and Missy Hughes each had two hits for USCB.

The Sand Sharks (35-12) couldn't muster much offense in their second game of the day, managing only three hits against Ave Maria left-hander Emily Lemin.

The Gyrenes broke a scoreless tie when Kingsley Avery smacked an RBI single to right in the third and came around to score on a three-base error on the play. Ave Maria tacked on two more runs in the fifth on Alyssa Colding's bases-loaded walk and McKayla Jeter's run-scoring infield single.

USCB's lone run came on Maddie Byrd's home run in the sixth. Triplett and Hughes had the other hits for the Sand Sharks.

USCB continues the double-elimination tournament with an elimination game against No. 5 seed Warner at 11:30 a.m. Friday. The winner will advance to play another elimination game at 7 p.m.