CLERMONT, Fla. – The University of South Carolina Beaufort softball team won twice Friday – including an improbable rally from a four-run deficit in the seventh inning – to stay alive at the Sun Conference Tournament at the National Training Center.
The second-seeded Sand Sharks beat Warner 4-2 in their first game of the day and put together a four-run rally in the seventh inning before
Maddie Byrd's game-ending RBI single in the eighth lifted them to a 6-5 victory over Embry-Riddle late Friday night at Legends Way Ballfields.
USCB (37-12) trailed early at No. 5 seed Warner before the offense came to life.
Haley Brown's sacrifice fly in the fourth tied it at 1, and the Sand Sharks broke it open with a three-run fifth. Byrd delivered an RBI single in the frame, while
Taylor Triplett added a sacrifice fly and
Mariaha Sanborn hit a two-run double.
The Royals put up a run in the sixth, but
Kristy Cook shut down the rally there to earn the win. Cook struck out four, walked two and allowed two runs (one earned) on five hits in a complete game.
USCB had to wait a little longer for the bats to wake up in the nightcap. Sanborn's solo home run in the second was one of only three USCB hits against Embry-Riddle's Raquelli Bianco through six innings, and the Eagles led 5-1 entering the seventh.
The Sand Sharks had one out in the seventh when their senior-laden lineup started chipping away.
Sammi Shaffren beat out an infield single and scored on
Shelby Zipperer's double into the left-field corner. After Byrd's single to center, Triplett followed with an RBI single and Sanborn reached on an error.
Marissa Becker's infield single loaded the bases and Brown grounded into a fielder's choice to bring home the tying run.
Cook struck out two in a 1-2-3 eighth before USCB capped the comeback in the bottom of the frame.
Missy Hughes reached on an error to start the inning, Shaffren followed with a single and Zipperer beat out a bunt to load the bases. Byrd then deposited a shot down the left-field line to bring Hughes in and send players spilling out of the Sand Shark dugout to greet her at the plate.
Cook (22-4) tossed her second complete game of the day, allowing five runs (two earned) on 10 hits over eight innings. She struck out six to give her 499 career strikeouts.
USCB will face No. 1 seed Southeastern in an elimination game at noon Saturday. The winner will have to defeat No. 6 seed Ave Maria twice Saturday afternoon to win the title.
