Clermont, FL-- The USCB softball team started the day in the elimination bracket and finished by advancing to the Sun Conference championship round tomorrow.


Game One

The Sand Sharks began play at 10 am against Warner University where they defeated the Royals 2-0. In what was a defensive matchup for a majority of the game, Abby Pac, a first-team selection, led USCB by holding Warner to only three hits in the morning contest.

On the offensive side USCB found their two runs on five hits. Freshman Rachel Frankhouser came in clutch for the Sand Sharks in the second inning where she brought home Carrie Cochran and Canyon Crosby off her double to left center.

The two runs held for the remainder of the game and allowed the team to move on to a second game.


Game Two

With the pressures mounting in the elimination bracket, USCB faced Keiser University. The Sand Sharks, having just finished a double-header last weekend with the Seahawks, really opened the offense and came away with the 8-2 victory.

USCB went 10-30 at the plate and were led by junior center fielder Kayla Boyle. Boyle went 3-4 with one run and four RBI's. Taylor Boykin also had a game to remember, going 3-3 with two runs and a stolen base.

The only inning USCB was not able to plate a run was the second, where they Sand Sharks went down in order. The remainder of the game was all USCB. 

In the circle, Pac pitched another complete game, going 7.0 innings, giving up 2 runs on 6 hits. Pac finished her day today with two more wins to move her to 18-10 on the season.


Game Three

Having to face a third game in a day can be daunting to any team. Today Coach Heberling and USCB were up to the task.

Facing the second-seeded Southeastern Fire, the Sand Sharks kept the momentum going from game two, defeating the fire 8-0 and invoking the run rule after the fifth inning.

After finding a run in the first inning from the heads-up base running of Frankhouser, who was able to get home after an error, USCB went on to plate seven more runs in the third and fourth innings.

Kaitlyn O'Hearn led things off in the third inning with a double to left field. Boyle then put runners on the corners for USCB with a single to center. Crosby then made it three hits in a row with an RBI single to left field.

After a pitching change for the Fire, USCB put together three more runs before heading to the fourth to finish off the scoring.

The game seemed to be heading to a quick end after O'Hearn started the fourth with her second double to left field to lead off an inning. USCB then tacked on three more runs to send themselves to the championship round.

Freshman pitcher Maria Molloseau went 5.0 innings, giving up only three hits.


USCB will now head to tomorrow's championship round to face the NAIA's No. 14 team, and the first-seeded Thomas University beginning at 4 pm. The Sand Sharks will have to win two in a row over the Night Hawks in order to bring home the hardware. Tune in to http://portal.stretchinternet.com/thesun to support the ladies from wherever you are.