The USCB softball team slugged its way to another mercy-rule win before winding up on the wrong end of a pitchers' duel in a doubleheader split with visiting Brewton-Parker on Thursday at Richard Gray Sports Complex.
The 14th-ranked Sand Sharks had another big game at the plate in the opener, as freshmen Emma Erwin and Kayla Boyle each blasted three-run homers and Whitley Martin added two RBIs in a 10-1 victory. USCB couldn't come up with enough timely hits to finish the sweep, though, as the Sand Sharks left 10 runners on base in a 2-1 defeat in the nightcap.
Senior Ashlie Layman (2-0) followed up her perfect game in Saturday's season opener against Montreat with another solid performance in Game 1, limiting the Barons to one runs and one hits in a five-inning complete game. She walked six and hit two batters but was able to use six strikeouts to get out of jams.
The Sand Sharks provided plenty of support behind her, plating three runs in the second, four in the third and three in the fifth. Erwin broke it open with her three-run shot to left field in the third inning, and Boyle's drive to right in the fifth invoked the eight-run mercy rule.
Alexa Moore and Bailey Craven joined Erwin and Martin with two hits apiece.
The Barons struck first in Game 2, as Courtney Bahrs chopped a two-run single over the third-base bag for a 2-0 lead in the third inning. The Sand Sharks cut the lead in half on Taylor Boyett's RBI infield single in the fifth, but left-hander Luana Imamura came on in relief with the bases loaded and stranded the tying run at third.
USCB got back-to-back singles from Missy Hughes and Marissa Becker to start the seventh, but Imamura retired the next three batters to end the threat and earn the save.
Taylor Douglass allowed one unearned run on six hits over 4 2/3 innings to pick up the win for the Barons, while Naomi Catt was tagged with the loss after allowing two runs and three hits over three frames.
The Sand Sharks are back in action Friday, playing a doubleheader at Embry-Riddle beginning at 4 p.m.
