HARDEEVILLE – The USCB softball team wrapped up the regular-season on a high note, sweeping a doubleheader from St. Thomas on Sunday to finish in a tie for second in the Sun Conference standings and clinch the No. 3 seed in next month's Sun Conference Tournament.

The Sand Sharks won the opener 4-1 and beat the Bobcats 7-1 in the finale to run their winning streak to five games. 

Entering play Sunday, the Sand Sharks still had a chance of being seeded anywhere from third to fifth, but they took control of the situation with strong pitching and defense along with some timely hitting.

After the Bobcats took a 1-0 lead with an unearned run in the fourth inning of the opener, USCB responded with two in the bottom of the inning on Missy Hughes' RBI single and Haley Brown's bases-loaded walk. Taylor Boyett's RBI grounder and Whitley Martin's sacrifice fly brought in two insurance runs in the fifth to make it 4-1. 

That was enough support for Ashlie Layman (15-6), who limited the Bobcats to one unearned run on seven hits in a complete game. 

USCB took control early in game two, as Bailey Craven opened the scoring with a sacrifice fly in the second, Boyett added an RBI single in the third, and Kayla Boyle delivered an RBI double in the fourth. The Sand Sharks broke it open in the fifth on Hughes' two-run single and Boyle's two-run double to make it 7-0. 

 Abby Pac (9-8) had no trouble making the lead stand up, holding the Bobcats to one run on eight hits in a complete game. Boyle was 3-for-4 with three RBIs, Hughes was 3-for-4 with two RBIs, and Boyett was 3-for-4 with an RBI and two runs. 

USCB (29-20, 9-5 TSC) will be the No. 3 seed in the Sun Conference Tournament and will play the No. 6 seed – either St. Thomas or Ave Maria – in the first round at 11:30 a.m. on May 5 in Clermont, Fla. The winner of the double-elimination tournament will earn an automatic berth in the NAIA National Championship Opening Round.