Columbus, GA-- The USCB softball team ended their trip to Columbus, Georgia with style. The Sand Sharks went 3-0 on the day, defeating No. 5 Brenau University (GA), RV Georgetown (Kent.) and No. 8 William Carey (Miss.).

Coach Laura Heberling has her team exactly where they want to be heading into Sun Conference play this Wednesday when they host Coastal Georgia at Richard Gray. The team will be coming back from the NFCA NAIA Leadoff Classic in Columbus, Georgia, where they met three teams in the NAIA top-20 and one other that has been receiving votes.

USCB saw the No. 5 Brenau University (GA) Tigers in the first game today, where they won 5-3. The Sand Sharks got to work early scoring a single run in the first two innings, thanks to a sacrifice fly by Kayla Boyle in the first inning to score Rachel Frankhouser, and then Haley Hawkins home run in the second inning. The team later added two more runs in the fourth inning with with a Natassja Hatcher solo-homer over the left field fence, and then Taylor Boykin brought home Hawkins with an infield sacrifice. Brenau added two more runs but were unable to pull the win away from the Sand Sharks.

In the second game, USCB faced another team bearing the Tigers nickname, Georgetown College (Kent.)-- a team that has been receiving votes in the NAIA Top-25 National Poll. The Sand Sharks were able to jump up on the Tigers 2-0 in the first inning thanks to Kylie Kelly's RBI-double to right field and an Kaitlyn O'Hearn RBI-single to left field. USCB found their game-winning run in the fifth inning when Kelly picked up her second RBI which came from forcing home Canyon Crosby by being hit by the pitch.

Playing No. 8 William Carey (Miss.) in the third game forced the Sand Sharks to find a way to come from behind to take the win. USCB went down 0-2 going into the bottom of the third inning before being able to get one back with Hawkins able to score off an error. The Sand Sharks then went ahead in the fourth inning when Boykin's 2-RBI-single through the right side plated Frankhouser and Melina Martinez.

In the circle today USCB used their three-headed monster of starting pitchers, Maria Molloseau in the first game, Crosby in the second, and Abby Pac in the third.

The Sand Sharks will open up Sun Conference play this Wednesday, March 14, when they host College of Coastal Georgia for a double-header beginning at 3 pm. The games will be broadcast live at www.uscbathletics.com/live.