AVE MARIA, Fla. – The USCB softball team used an outstanding pitching performance from Abby Pac to claim the final game of its Sun Conference series at Ave Maria and salvage a split of Saturday's doubleheader.

The Sand Sharks dropped the opening game of the day 9-5 but rebounded for a 1-0 victory in the finale of the three-game series. 

GAME 1 – AMU 9, USCB 5

The Sand Sharks struck first on Kayla Boyle's RBI single in the third, but they had another run cut down at the plate on the play and Ave Maria answered with a run to tie it in the bottom of the frame. 

The Gyrenes plated three runs in the fourth and four more in the fifth to break it open, but the Sand Sharks fought back with four runs in the sixth on Natassja Hatcher's RBI single, Lauren Weidig's pinch-hit two-run double, and Marissa Becker's run-scoring grounder.

USCB's rally ended there, though, and the Gyrenes added an insurance run in the bottom of the sixth.

Bojangles' Player of the Game: Kaitlyn O'Hearn (1-for-2, run, two walks)

GAME 2 – USCB 1, AMU 0

Boyle delivered the only run of the game with an RBI double in the first inning, and Pac made it stand up with a terrific pitching performance to outduel Brittney Pressler.

Pac struck out three and allowed five hits in the shutout. She worked out of jams in the fifth and sixth, stranding runners at third in both innings, and worked around a leadoff single in the seventh.

Boyle was 2-for-2 with an RBI, Taylor Boykin was 1-for-2 and scored the only run, and Hatcher had the only other hit for the Sand Sharks.

Bojangles' Player of the Game: Abby Pac (7 IP, 5 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K)

UP NEXT

The Sand Sharks continue conference play with a three-game series at Webber International on Friday and Saturday. The opener is scheduled for 3 p.m. Friday followed by a doubleheader starting at 11 a.m. Saturday.