HARDEEVILLE, S.C. – The USCB baseball team opened a pivotal Sun Conference series against visiting St. Thomas with a 6-3 victory over the No. 22 Bobcats on Friday at Richard Gray Sports Complex.

Nick Payne went 3-for-5 with two RBIs, Nick Graham added a pair of RBIs, and Wade Arduini struck out seven in a complete game to help the Sand Sharks take the opener of the three-game series and move a game ahead of St. Thomas for fourth place in the conference standings. 

The Bobcats broke on top with a two-out rally in the first inning capped by Jack Diaz's RBI single, but Graham's two-run single in the second put USCB ahead. An unearned run pulled St. Thomas even in the third, but a Bobcat error allowed the go-ahead run to score in the fifth and Justin Kortessis followed with an RBI single to make it 4-2.

St. Thomas pulled within 4-3 on Randy Oliva's RBI single in the sixth, but Payne delivered a two-out, two-run single in the bottom of the frame to give USCB a 6-3 cushion.

Arduini took care of the rest, sitting down the Bobcats in order in the seventh and eighth before working around a two-out walk in the ninth and striking out German Morales to end the game. Arduini allowed three runs (two earned) on seven hits with seven strikeouts and two walks.

Bojangles' Player of the Game: Nick Payne (3-for-5, two RBIs)

FIN FACTS

Junior RF Alex Murphy was hit by a pitch for the team-leading ninth time. Erik Armstrong owns the single-season USCB record with 13. … Arduini has recorded at least seven strikeouts in three straight starts and four of his six this season. 

UP NEXT

The series concludes with a doubleheader starting at noon Saturday.