HARDEEVILLE, S.C. - Behind stellar pitching from Maria Molloseau and Ally Muraskin, the USCB softball team opened the year 2-0, as the Sand Sharks defeated Columbia International, 4-1 and 2-0, on Saturday at Richard Gray Stadium.

Molloseau and Muraskin dealt on Saturday, as the duo combined for two complete games, four hits, no earned runs, 11 strikeouts and no walks. 

INSIDE GAME ONE BOX SCORE

Molloseau - seven innings, three hits, one run (unearned), no walks, five strikeouts

Amber Locasto - 2-for-3, two singles, two RBIs, one run score

Shania Domingue - 2-for-3, two singles, stolen base, two runs scored

Rachel Frankhouser - 2-for-2, two singles, one run scored

Jaci Coleman - 1-for-2, single, one RBI

HOW GAME ONE HAPPENED

Molloseau started the game in dominating fashion, as she twirled five scoreless innings. She eventually ran into trouble in the sixth inning, as Tanaya Ellis scored off a fielding error. 

USCB's offense struggled for the first three innings, but it eventually broke through in the fourth inning with a pair of runs and three hits. Domingue and Locasto started the frame with back-to-back hits. The bases were loaded via a Hampleton hit-by-pitch, and Coleman dropped a bloop single to left to break the scoreless tie, 1-0. Leah Stegall hit into a double play with no outs, but Locasto touched home to double USCB's lead.

The Sand Shark offense prowess carried over into the bottom of the fifth with another two-run frame. Locasto plated both of the runs in the inning with a two-RBI single down the left field line. The clutch, two-out hit advanced the lead to 1-0.

CIU tried to mount a comeback in the sixth, but Molloseau minimized the damage to one run.

The senior worked a 1-2-3 top of the seventh inning to seal the three-run win, 4-1.

INSIDE GAME TWO BOX SCORE

Muraskin - seven innings, one hit, no runs, no walks, six strikeouts

Zinia Hampleton - 2-for-3, two singles, one run scored

Domingue - 1-for-4, double

Locasto - 1-for-2, single, one RBI

HOW GAME TWO HAPPENED

Similar to game one, USCB's offense struggled for the first several innings, but in the fourth frame, USCB broke the drought with a run. Fankhouser started the rally with one out, and Alyssa Smith followed with a bunt base hit. Thanks to a throwing error, both Sand Sharks moved into scoring position, and Devon Weller grounded out to short to score Frankhouser and give USCB the 1-0 lead. 

The next inning USCB doubled the lead, as Locasto came up clutch again with a two-out, run-scoring hit. Locasto dropped a single to right center, which allowed Hampleton to score and push the lead to 2-0. 

Muraskin really started cruise in the circle from the fourth inning on. During that four-inning stretch, she worked three 1-2-3 innings and totaled five strikeouts in the last three innings. 

Muraskin was stellar in the circle, as she secured the 2-0 victory with just 81 pitches. 

RECORDS UPDATE

USCB - 2-0 overall

Columbia International - 0-2 overall

WHAT'S NEXT?

The Sand Sharks will take eight days off from the diamond, as they will prepare for a doubleheader, non-conference bout with Montreat on Feb. 7. First pitch is set for noon at Richard Gray Stadium.