COCHRAN, Ga. - Playing its first road contests of 2020, USCB softball split the doubleheader at Middle Georgia State, 2-1 and 2-1, as it was a pitching duel at Knights Park on Saturday afternoon.
INSIDE GAME ONE BOX SCORE
Emily Martin - 2-for-3
Mackenzie Freeman and Amber Locasto - one hit each
Emily Phillips - one run scored
Maria Molloseau - six innings, three hits, two runs (both unearned), no walks, five strikeouts
HOW GAME ONE HAPPENED
The first inning-and-a-half went by quickly, as all three half innings went 1-2-3. Middle Georgia State broke that stretch with the game's first hit, which was a leadoff double in the second inning. However, she was left at second base.
USCB collected its first hit in the top of third, but Locasto was left in scoring position.
The scoring opened in the bottom of the third, when the Knights plated two runs. Brooke Ayo scored on an error, and Lauren Heath touched home on an infield single to take the 2-0 lead.
The Sand Sharks cut the deficit in half in the top of the fifth with no outs. Martin led the inning off with a single, and she eventually moved to second. Phillips pinch ran for Martin, and she scored on a bunt hit and throwing error during Locasto's at-bat.
After a 1-2-3 bottom of the sixth, USCB put the pressure on the Knights in the final inning. Martin singled to third, and she moved to second on a sacrifice bunt. Jodi Hatcher moved her to third base on a groundout with two outs. With the tying run 60 feet away, the final Sand Shark roped the ball to the third baseman, but the MGSU player caught the lineout to end the threat and contest, 2-1.
INSIDE GAME TWO BOX SCORE
Kaleigh Furbush - 2-for-3, double
Martin - 1-for-3, double, RBI, run scored
Hatcher - 1-for-3, one RBI
Rachel Catt - 5.1 innings, four hits, one run, one strikeout, win
Molloseau - 1.2 innings, no hits, no runs, no walks, save
HOW GAME TWO HAPPENED
Catt started game two for USCB in the circle, and the senior held the Middle Georgia offense in check. For the first three innings, the right-handed pitcher scattered just one hit.
USCB took its first lead of the doubleheader in the top of the fourth with a pair of runs. After two quick outs, USCB capitalized on a throwing error. Haley Hawkins reached base on the error, and Martin scored her teammate on a double down the left field line. Hatcher followed suit with a run-scoring single to push the Sand Shark lead to 2-0.
Middle Georgia threatened to plate runs in the bottom of the fifth when Sydney Shackelford doubled to left center. Maggie Burkhalter reached on a walk, and the two Knights moved into scoring position after a groundout. Catt stayed strong and forced a lineout to leave the two stranded.
The Knights did cut the deficit in half, as they scored their first run of the game. Savanna Thomas scored Brittany Wilt on a sacrifice bunt, which made the game 2-1 in the sixth.
Heading into the final inning, Molloseau kept her groove in the circle and forced the Middle Georgia offense to go 1-2-3 to earn her first save of the season.
RECORDS UPDATE
No. 20 USCB - 9-1 overall
Middle Georgia State - 3-3 overall
WHAT'S NEXT?
The Sand Sharks will rest up before heading to Waleska, Ga. for a three-day, six-game tournament at Reinhardt. USCB will play several potent teams in the tournament, including Freed-Hardeman, Reinhardt, Midway and Campbellsville. The Sand Sharks open the tournament on Friday, Feb. 21 at noon against Freed-Hardeman.
