HARDEEVILLE, S.C. – The USCB baseball team split a doubleheader Friday to begin its four-game series against visiting College of St. Joseph (Vt.) at Richard Gray Sports Complex.

GAME 1 – CSJ 2, USCB 0

Nicholas Burch outdueled Wade Arduini in the opener, and Nick Rodriguez drove in one run and scored the other on a wild pitch to power the Fighting Saints.

Thomas Estopare led off the first with a double off the left-field fence, but the Sand Sharks managed only one more hit – Alex Murphy's infield single – against Burch, who struck out five in a complete game and did not issue a walk.

Bojangles' Player of the Game: Wade Arduini (7 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 3 K)

GAME 2 – USCB 5, CSJ 4

The Sand Sharks put up all five of their runs in the first two innings and held on to salvage a split.

After allowing an unearned run in the first inning, USCB answered in the bottom half on RBI singles by Murphy and Justin Kortessis. Kal Davis, Brandon Joyce, and Kortessis each added RBI singles in the second to give the Sand Sharks a 5-1 lead. 

The Saints pushed across a run in the third and scored two unearned runs in the fourth on John Loschiavo's two-run triple, but Julio De Pena racked up six strikeouts over the final three innings to preserve the lead.

De Pena struck out eight and walked two in a complete game, allowing four runs (one earned) and five hits.

Bojangles' Player of the Game: Justin Kortessis (2-for-3, 2 RBIs, SB)

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The series concludes with a doubleheader beginning at noon Saturday.