THOMASVILLE, Ga. - Noah Matthews, Chris Vazquez and Bobby Wenthe were strong at the plate in the doubleheader split (10-7 and 15-5) at Thomas, as the three Sand Sharks combined for 11 hits, 11 RBIs, three doubles and two home runs inside Varnedoe Stadium on Saturday.

INSIDE THE GAME ONE BOX SCORE

Wenthe - 4-for-6, four RBIs, two runs, two doubles

Vazquez - 3-for-5, one double, three RBIs

Cole Hamilton - 3-for-4, one double, three runs, one RBI, one walk

Robbie McKinney - 1-for-5, two RBIs, one run, one walk

Tanner Davis - win, two innings, three hits, no runs, one walk

HOW GAME ONE HAPPENED

USCB had chances to score in the first two innings, as it left a combined five runners on base in the two-inning stretch.

Thomas took advantage of that in the bottom of the third with a pair of runs to go up early. 

The Sand Sharks cut the deficit in half in the top of the fourth via a sacrifice fly from Hamilton.

The Night Hawks advanced the lead to four, 5-1, off a two-RBI hit from Keefer Beaty. Beaty also scored on the play off a Sand Shark error. 

In the home half of the sixth, the Night Hawks added a run off a lead-off home run from Levi O'Steen. 

However, USCB quickly cut in to the deficit, as the Sand Sharks made it a two-run ballgame in the seventh - 6-4. Kevin Smith started the rally with a four-pitch walk. After a stolen base and a single, McKinney grounded out to plate the first run of the inning. Wenthe smacked a run-scoring double, and Vazquez followed to plate his teammate to make it a 6-4 game.

Thomas added one more insurance run the bottom of the eighth.

Down 7-4 in the ninth, the USCB offense didn't give in, as it tied the game at 7-all. Hamilton started the rally with a double, and McKinney drove him in off a RBI single. Wenthe again smacked a double to make the game 7-6. After a TU pitching change, Vazquez tallied another double to tie the game. That was all the Sand Sharks could muster in the three-run ninth inning.

Thomas threatened to win the game in the ninth, but Davis scattered two hits and left both Night Hawks stranded to force extra innings. 

The Sand Shark offense picked up where it left off with three runs in the 10th to give USCB its first lead of the day, 10-7. Wenthe cracked a two-out, two-RBI single, and Vazquez recorded another run-scoring hit.

Thomas could only tally a hit in the bottom of the 10th, which gave USCB the extra-inning victory to kick off the doubleheader. 

INSIDE THE GAME TWO BOX SCORE

Matthews - 3-for-4, two home runs, four RBIs, two runs

Hamilton - 2-for-4, one RBI

Marino Sorbara - 2-for-3, one run

Steven Mojica - 1-for-2, two runs

HOW GAME TWO HAPPENED

Similar to game one, Thomas jumped out to the first lead with a pair of runs in the second inning. 

However, USCB retaliated early with a trio of runs to gain the 3-2 lead. Matthews clocked a two-run homer, while Hamilton plated Sorbara off a single.

The Night Hawks answered in the bottom of the fourth to regain the lead by two, 5-3.

Again the Sand Sharks retaliated, as Matthews unleashed his second home run in as many at-bats. The two-run blast knotted the game at 5-5.

Unfortunately, Thomas plated 10 unanswered runs in the sixth and seventh innings to claim the 15-5 win in the night cap.

TEAM RECORD UPDATES

USCB - 21-29 overall, 5-19 The Sun Conference

Thomas - 24-21 overall, 10-11 The Sun Conference, 17-11 at home

WHAT'S NEXT?

USCB will conclude the regular season with a three-game set at Georgia Gwinnett. The Sun Conference series is scheduled to begin on Saturday, April 27 at 6 p.m. in Lawrenceville, Ga.