Hardeeville, SC - It has been a special spring for #18 USCB Sand Shark Softball. In Bailey Wigness' first year as a head coach, the Sand Sharks won 19 consecutive games to start the season. That success took the team from receiving votes (RV) in the NAIA national rankings to a #13 ranking by mid-March. As they began play on Wednesday, USCB stood #18 in the nation, and had a record of 23-5 overall, 5-3 in The Sun Conference, and were a perfect 16-0 at Sand Shark Park. Their opponents this Wednesday were the Webber International University Warriors, TSC rivals and owners of the best record in Sun Conference play at 7-1. Everyone knew it would be a competitive day, but no one could have predicted what transpired on the field in 6 hours of dramatic softball.
 
In game 1, the Sand Sharks trailed the Warriors 9-2 as they came to bat in the bottom of the 7th. With 1 out, Kaitlyn O'Hearn singled. Natassja Hatcher then reached on an error. Rachel Frankhouser walked. With the bases now loaded, Canyon Crosby delivered her 3rd hit of the afternoon, scoring O'Hearn and making the score 9-3. After a pop-out gave the Warriors their 2nd out of the inning, Taylor Boykin stepped up to bat with the bases loaded and smashed a single to center - her 3rd hit of the game - scoring Hatcher and Frankhouser and making it a 9-5 game. Kayla Boyle followed with a line-drive single to right - her 3rd hit of the game - scoring Crosby and Boykin and bringing the Sand Sharks to within 2 runs. After walks to Shania Domingue and Kylie Kelly loaded the bases once again, Kaitlyn O'Hearn came up to bat and crushed a single to left, scoring Boyle and Domingue, and unbelievably tying the game at 9. Natassja Hatcher then put the exclamation point on an amazing, improbable, 8-run rally with a game-winning single to left, scoring Kylie Kelly and giving the Sand Sharks an emotional come-from-behind, 10-9 victory. Sloan Ducey started the game for USCB, pitching 4 ⅔ innings. Canyon Crosby came on in relief, and notched her 5th win of the year, pitching the final 2 ⅓ innings. Kayla Boyle made history in the 1st inning of game 1 by singling her way past Marissa Becker to become the all-time leader in hits with 203. And with her double in the 3rd, Boyle also tied the record for most all-time doubles by a USCB softball player. All of this happened in game 1 - and the Sand Sharks had another game to play...
 
In game 2, the Sand Sharks seemed to build on the momentum from their dramatic comeback in game 1 as they scored 2 runs in each of the first 2 innings to build a 4-0 lead. But the Warriors came back in a big way with an 8-spot in the top of the 3rd to grab an 8-4 lead. The Sand Sharks responded by scoring 4 in the 3rd and 1 in the 4th to retake the lead 9-8. The Warriors would not go away, however, as they scored 2 in the top of the 5th to take the lead right back 10-9. Then came the bottom of the 5th. Shania Domingue led off the inning with a walk. After a pop-out, Kaitlyn O'Hearn singled, putting runners on 1st and 3rd. Game 1 hero Natassja Hatcher would come through again, singling in Domingue and tying the game 10-10. After a walk to Frankhouser loaded the bases, Melina Martinez singled home O'Hearn to give the Sand Sharks the lead once again, 11-10. Boykin and Boyle then drew back to back bases loaded walks to force in 2 runs and give the Sand Sharks a 13-10 lead. Then Shania Domingue stepped to the plate with the bases loaded for her 2nd at-bat of the inning and crushed a grand slam home run to left to give the Sand Sharks a 17-10 lead. The Sand Sharks held on for a 17-12 win and a very hard-earned TSC sweep over Webber International. Maria Molloseau started game 2 for USCB, pitching 2 ⅓ innings. Abby Pac, Kinsey Sords, and game 1 starter Sloan Ducey all pitched in relief, with Ducey picking up her 8th win of the year.
 
The Sand Sharks totaled 27 runs and 32 hits in Wednesday's doubleheader, including one double, 3 triples, and 1 home run. Their record now stands at 25-5 overall, and they are tied with Webber for the best record in Sun Conference play at 7-3.
 
Sand Shark softball travels to Lake Wales, FL to face TSC foe, Warner University, in a doubleheader on Saturday, the 30th, at 11:00am. They then return home to Sand Shark Park to play Keiser University in a TSC doubleheader on Thursday, April 4 at 2:00pm, Trinity Baptist in a doubleheader on Saturday, April 5, at 2:00pm, and TSC rivals Ave Maria in a doubleheader on Saturday, April 6, at 12 noon for Alumni/Family Day.
 
You can catch all the action live on the Sand Shark Gameday Network at uscbathletics.com/live. As always, keep it tuned to uscbathletics.com for the latest news, notes, and updates.