HATTIESBURG, Miss. – The USCB softball team found itself on the wrong side of a pair of pitching duels Friday at the William Carey Invitational. 

The 14th-ranked Sand Sharks dropped a 2-1 decision to No. 4 LSU Alexandria to begin the day before falling 1-0 to the host Crusaders in another heartbreaker. 

Three USCB pitchers combined to limit the Generals to one hit in the first game of the day, but it was a big one. Heather Bunn's home run leading off the fourth inning gave LSUA a 1-0 lead, and the Generals took advantage of an error and a double steal to add to the lead an inning later. 

The Sand Sharks mounted a rally in the seventh inning, as pinch-hitter Alexa Moore's RBI double cut the deficit in half, but the tying run was stranded at second. 

Abby Pac took the hard-luck loss, allowing one run and one hit over three-plus innings with three strikeouts and four walks. Naomi Catt allowed one run over two frames, and Ashlie Layman pitched a scoreless inning. 

USCB's pitchers again were outstanding against the ninth-ranked Crusaders, allowing only three hits and keeping William Carey off the board until the sixth. 

Pac pitched five scoreless frames before allowing a leadoff walk in the sixth, and Layman came out of the bullpen. A wild pitch and a sacrifice bunt set up Harli Crow's sacrifice fly to right field to plate the only run of the game. 

Taylor Boyett had the only hit of the game for USCB against Hannah Moak, who struck out five and did not issue a walk in a complete game. 

The Sand Sharks face two more tough tests Saturday, facing No. 4 LSU Alexandria again at noon ET before facing No. 7 Mobile (Ala.) at 2 p.m.