MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. – The USCB softball team bounced back from a tough extra-innings loss to split a doubleheader Saturday at St. Thomas and take two of three in the Sun Conference series.
GAME 1 – STU 3, USCB 2 (8 inn.)
The Sand Sharks were shut out for six innings against Emily Santos, but they pushed across a run on Marissa Becker's grounder to the pitcher to tie it at 1 and force extra innings.
Haley Hawkins' sacrifice fly in the eighth gave USCB a 2-1 lead, but the Bobcats scored two runs in the bottom of the inning to even the series.
Taylor Boykin had two hits for USCB, and Rachel Catt limited the Bobcats to three runs (one earned) and six hits over 7 2/3 innings.
Bojangles' Player of the Game: Rachel Catt (7.2 IP, 6 H, 3 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 4 K)
GAME 2 – USCB 2, STU 1
Abby Pac outdueled Jessica Castiglione and worked out of a bases-loaded jam in the seventh inning to give the Sand Sharks the series victory.
USCB broke a scoreless tie with two runs in the fifth, as Bailee Barker drew a leadoff walk and scored on Brittany Olean's RBI double and Boykin knocked in Olean with an RBI single.
Pac allowed a solo homer to Alexis Castroman in the sixth, and the Bobcats loaded the bases in the seventh before Pac got a groundout from Castroman to end the game.
Boykin, Olean, Hawkins, and Kayla Boyle each had two hits, and Pac struck out three while allowing one run and five hits over seven innings.
Bojangles' Player of the Game: Brittany Olean (2-for-3, 2B, R, RBI)
FIN FACTS
The Sand Sharks have opened a three-game lead over Keiser and St. Thomas for the fifth and final spot in the Sun Conference Tournament and are two games behind fourth-place Thomas, who will host USCB for three games next weekend. … Boykin has reached base in 11 straight games for her longest streak of the season. … Pac has allowed one earned run or fewer in five straight starts and six of her last seven.
UP NEXT
The Sand Sharks travel to Thomas on Friday and Saturday for a Sun Conference set. The series begins with a doubleheader at noon Friday followed by a single game at noon Saturday.