HARDEEVILLE, S.C. – The USCB baseball team claimed the first two games of a four-game series against visiting Fisher (Mass.) on Friday, winning 5-3 and 12-0 at Richard Gray Sports Complex.

Bobby Wenthe hit his team-leading seventh home run to back Wade Arduini's strong pitching performance in the opener, and Julio De Pena matched the program record with 12 strikeouts in a four-hit shutout in the finale. 

USCB now holds a 23-3 advantage in the all-time series with the Falcons. 

GAME 1 – USCB 5, Fisher 3

Wenthe's three-run blast in the third inning opened the scoring, but the Falcons took advantage of sloppy USCB defense to plate three in the fourth and pull even. 

Alex Murphy broke the tie with an RBI single in the fifth, and Nick Payne's bases-loaded walk later in the inning padded the lead. 

Arduini allowed just one hit after the fourth and struck out eight, while limiting Fisher to three runs (two earned) and seven hits. 

Thomas Estopare and Mclean Hartz each had two stolen bases and Estopare scored twice.

Bojangles' Player of the Game: Bobby Wenthe (1-for-3, HR, 3 RBIs)

GAME 2 – USCB 12, Fisher 0

De Pena was dominant on the mound, giving up just four hits and a walk while fanning 12 – including striking out the side in the seventh. 

The Sand Sharks gave him plenty of support, as Justin Kortessis opened the scoring with an RBI double in the second, Murphy added a run-scoring single in the third, Hartz tacked on an RBI single in the fourth, and Murphy came back with a two-run single in the fifth.

USCB broke it open with seven in the sixth, as Jackson Massey's two-run double to right-center capped the big inning. 

Kal Davis finished 3-for-3 and scored a run, Murphy was 2-for-3 with four RBIs, and Payne went 2-for-2 to pace the offense. 

The Sand Sharks had eight stolen bases, marking their second-highest total of the season. 

Bojangles' Player of the Game: Julio De Pena (7 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 12 K)

FIN FACTS

De Pena is now responsible for two of the five 12-strikeout performances in USCB history, three of which have come this season. … JoJo Markle recorded two stolen bases in Game 2, raising his team-leading total to nine. … Wenthe's seven home runs are one shy of tying Ashly Morris' single-season USCB record set in 2015. … De Pena lowered his season ERA to 1.93 and improved to 4-1, tying Zac Burke for the team lead for wins.

UP NEXT

The series concludes with a doubleheader at noon Saturday.