MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — The USCB softball team opened a key three-game Sun Conference series at St. Thomas with a 3-0 victory Friday night.

Abby Pac tossed a five-hit shutout and Taylor Boykin went 3-for-3 with an RBI to lead the Sand Sharks, who increased their lead to two games over Keiser for fifth place in the Sun Conference standings. The top five teams will qualify for the conference tournament.

Boykin's infield single in the second inning plated Alexa Moore for the first run of the game. The Sand Sharks added a run on Haley Hawkins' RBI double in the sixth and pushed across another on Moore's RBI single in the seventh.

Pac took care of the rest, limiting the Bobcats to five hits and four walks while striking out four in her fifth shutout of the season.

Moore and Marissa Becker each added two hits and a run for USCB. 

Bojangles' Player of the Game: Abby Pac (7 IP, 5 H, 0 R, 4 BB, 4 K)

FIN FACTS

Becker recorded her team-best 17th multi-hit game of the season. … Boykin has reached base in nine straight games for her longest streak of the season. … 

Pac has allowed one earned run or fewer in four straight starts and five of her last six. 

UP NEXT

The series concludes with a doubleheader starting at 1 p.m. Saturday.