HARDEEVILLE, S.C. – The USCB baseball team used an offensive outburst in the opener and another record-tying pitching performance in the finale to finish a four-game sweep of visiting Fisher (Mass.) on Saturday at Richard Gray Sports Complex.
The Sand Sharks racked up 17 hits and eight stolen bases in a 20-3 victory in the first game, and Zac Burke became the fourth pitcher this season to match the school record with 12 strikeouts in a game in a 5-1 win in the finale.
USCB outscored Fisher 42-7 in the series and has won 25 of 28 all-time meetings with the Falcons.
GAME 1 – USCB 20, Fisher 3
The Sand Sharks batted around in each of the first two innings, plating five runs in the first and seven in the second, and the rout was on.
Fisher broke through for a pair of runs in the third, but USCB put up four in the fourth and four more in the fifth to squash any hopes of a comeback.
Eleven different players recorded hits for USCB and 11 scored runs. Brandon Joyce was 3-for-4 with a triple, two runs and five RBIs to lead the charge. Nick Graham was 3-for-3 with an RBI and a run, Thomas Estopare was 2-for-3 with three runs and two RBIs, and Bobby Wenthe went 2-for-2 with two runs and an RBI.
Justin Kortessis pitched five strong innings for the win, allowing two runs on eight hits with seven strikeouts. Paxton Buckner worked a scoreless inning in relief, and Eric Ezersky struck out two and allowed an unearned run in the seventh in his season debut.
Bojangles' Player of the Game: Brandon Joyce (3-for-4, triple, two runs, five RBIs)
GAME 2 – USCB 5, Fisher 1
Burke stole the show in the finale, striking out 12 and allowed one unearned run and five hits in a seven-inning complete game.
The Sand Sharks gave Burke an early lead to work with by scoring three runs in the first. Joyce opened the scoring with a sacrifice fly, Wade Arduini followed with an RBI single, and Alex Murphy scored on a wild pitch.
Arduini added a two-run single in the third to make it 5-0, and Burke took care of the rest. The Falcons never really threatened until the seventh, when an infield hit and an error to start the inning led to an unearned run to break up the shutout.
Arduini was 3-for-3 with three RBIs to pace the offense.
Bojangles' Player of the Game: Zac Burke (7 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 12 K)
FIN FACTS
Michael Heesch set the USCB record with 12 strikeouts against Embry-Riddle (Fla.) in 2011, and Julio De Pena tied it last season. De Pena, Kortessis, Arduini and Burke each have recorded 12 in a game this season. … Joyce has 116 career RBIs and has moved into fourth on USCB's all-time list, one behind Erik Armstrong and Gabe Torres and 17 shy of R.J. Neal's program record. … The Sand Sharks recorded 22 stolen bases in the four-game series. … USCB pitchers have collected double-digit strikeouts nine times in 24 games.
UP NEXT
USCB hosts Edward Waters for a non-conference doubleheader beginning at 1 p.m. Tuesday.
