The USCB softball team returns to its home field after a month of road games when the Sand Sharks host Cumberland (Tenn.) for a non-conference doubleheader at noon Thursday. USCB has won three of its last four games following a difficult stretch that included losses to four top-10 opponents. It's the second meeting this season between the Sand Sharks and Phoenix, with USCB winning 5-0 on Feb. 20 at the NAIA Spring Break Softball tournament in Plant City, Fla. The teams met only once prior to this season, with USCB winning 13-5 in the NAIA Opening Round in Hardeeville. The Sand Sharks will honor a different senior at each of five upcoming home games, beginning with pitcher/first baseman Cara Jamerson on Thursday's.
FIN FACTS
• The Sand Sharks are 95-15 all-time at Richard Gray Sports Complex, including a 20-3 mark last season and a 3-1 record in 2016.
• Senior RHP Ashlie Layman opened the 2016 season with the fourth perfect game in USCB history – the first since 2012 – by retiring all 15 batters she faced in a 14-0 win over Montreat on Feb. 6. Layman racked up nine strikeouts and did not allow a ball out of the infield. Layman threw her second career no-hitter Feb. 21 in a 7-0 win over Edward Waters at the NAIA Spring Break Softball tournament in Plant City, Fla.
• USCB has used seven pitchers this season, the most the Sand Sharks have ever used in a single season. Additionally, five Sand Shark pitchers have appeared in at least three games for the first time in history.
• Junior 2B Marissa Becker is riding a nine-game hitting streak and has recorded four multiple-hit games over that span.
BY THE NUMBERS
5 – The Sand Sharks have played five games against opponents ranked in the top 10 of the NAIA Softball Coaches Preseason Top 25 Poll. Four of USCB's losses have come in those games with two of them in one-run contests.
7 – USCB has played seven one-run games, going 2-5 in those contests.
9.75 – The Sand Sharks have enjoyed hitting at home, averaging 9.75 runs in four home games compared with 3.11 runs per contest away from home.
MILESTONE WATCH
• Senior OF Missy Hughes ranks fifth in USCB history for hits (166) and is tied for fifth for runs (93). Next up on the career hits list is Shelby Zipperer (172), while Katie Rietkovich (113) is next on the runs chart.
• Senior OF Missy Hughes (27) and junior 2B Marissa Becker (25) and rank fourth and fifth on USCB's career list for stolen bases. Becker swiped 19 bags last season, one short of matching the single-season school record set by Barbara Phillips in 2012, while Hughes leads the team with seven steals this season.
• With 75 strikeouts this season, senior RHP Ashlie Layman now has 353 in her career, joining Kristy Cook (522) as the only players in USCB history with 300.
• With one sacrifice bunt this season, senior C Whitley Martin has 14 in her career, which ranks second in program history behind Shelby Zipperer (16).
SCOUTING CUMBERLAND
The Phoenix come in with a 1-9 record and have not played since dropping both ends of a doubleheader to Freed-Hardeman (Tenn.) on Feb. 29. The offense has struggled, scoring three or fewer runs in nine of the past 10 contests since a 14-11 loss to Ave Maria (Fla.) to open the season. Nonetheless, the lineup boasts five players hitting over .300. The pitching staff has compiled a team ERA of 5.07 and no one has emerged as the staff ace, though sophomore Leah Newsome (0-2, 4.50 ERA) leads the team in ERA.
RELATED LINKS
USCB Schedule and Results
USCB Season Statistics
Sand Shark Softball Record Book
Sun Conference Softball Standings
