TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – The USCB baseball team used two strong pitching performances to finish off a four-game sweep at Stillman College on Saturday.

Justin Kortessis tossed a shutout and Zac Burke worked a complete game as the Sand Sharks shut down the host Tigers and swept a doubleheader for the second straight day. 

GAME 1 – USCB 2, Stillman 0

Kortessis threw a gem in the opener, striking out seven and limiting the Tigers to six hits and three walks while deftly pitching out of a couple of jams.

The Sand Sharks did all of the scoring in the fourth inning, when Alex Murphy started a rally with a one-out single and scored on Nick Payne's RBI single and Brandon Joyce walked and came around to score on a wild pitch for a 2-0 lead.

The Tigers threatened with two runners in scoring position in the sixth and the seventh, but Kortessis recorded two strikeouts in each frame and punched out the final two batters in the seventh to preserve the shutout.

Payne was 2-for-3 with an RBI, and Murphy, Nick Graham and Mclean Hartz each added a hit. 

Bojangles' Player of the Game: Justin Kortessis (7 IP, 6 H, 0 R, 3 BB, 7 K)

GAME 2 – USCB 9, Stillman 2

Burke gave the Sand Sharks their second complete game of the day, holding Stillman to four hits and a walk while striking out six. 

USCB plated two runs in the third, as Bobby Wenthe drew a bases-loaded walk and Murphy followed by being hit by a pitch to force home another run. 

The Sand Sharks erupted for six runs in the fifth to break it open, using five stolen bases to rattle the Tigers and taking advantage of several Stillman miscues as a result of the pressure. 

Murphy, Joyce and Payne strung together consecutive singles in the sixth to push across another run, and Burke had plenty of support.

Payne was 3-for-4 with a run and an RBI, Murphy was 2-for-3 with a double, a stolen base, two runs and two RBIs, and Thomas Estopare went 2-for-4 with a run, an RBI and a stolen base.

Bojangles' Player of the Game: Alex Murphy (2-for-3, 2B, two runs, two RBIs, stolen base)

UP NEXT

The Sand Sharks return home to host Middle Georgia for a non-conference doubleheader starting at 1 p.m. Tuesday.