HARDEEVILLE, S.C. – The USCB baseball team's late rally fell short as the Sand Sharks lost 8-5 in the rubber match of a three-game series against No. 14 Georgia Gwinnett on Sunday at Richard Gray Sports Complex.

The Sand Sharks had the bases loaded in two of the final three innings but were unable to take advantage, leaving the tying run at first base in the ninth to allow the Grizzlies to escape with the series victory.

Georgia Gwinnett took an early lead with two runs in the second, but the Sand Sharks answered in the bottom of the second with Michael Grunder's RBI infield single and Mclean Hartz's bases-loaded walk tying it at 2.

USCB took the lead in the fourth when Hartz singled home a run and Thomas Estopare added a sacrifice fly for a 4-2 advantage, but Georgia Gwinnett's Marcus McCorkle cleared the bases with a three-run triple in the top of the fifth to put the Grizzlies back on top.

Two more triples in the sixth by Chris Jones and Kade Carrigan contributed to a three-run inning as the Grizzlies extended the advantage to 8-4.

The Sand Sharks pulled one run back on Nick Payne's RBI single in the seventh and had the bases loaded before an inning-ending double play ended the threat. Three straight walks loaded the bases with two outs in the ninth before Grizzlies closer Stone Kelly worked out of the jam. USCB left 11 runners on base in all.

Bojangles' Player of the Game: Mclean Hartz (2-for-3, BB, SB, 2 RBIs)

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The Sand Sharks will be the No. 5 seed in the Sun Conference Tournament and face No. 2 seed Southeastern at 3 p.m. Friday at City of Palms Park in Fort Myers, Fla.