WALESKA, Ga. - To kick off a six-game roadswing in the state of Georgia, USCB softball started the stretch with two losses, 5-0 and 9-1, to No. 8 Reinhardt on Thursday at Ken White Field.

INSIDE GAME ONE BOX SCORE

Ally Muraskin - 3.2 innings, five hits, three earned runs, two walks, five strikeouts

Libby Carey - 2.1 innings, two hits, one run, one strikeout

Jaci Coleman, Shania Domingue, Francie Gaskin and Bri Dunn - one single each

HOW GAME ONE HAPPENED

The nationally-ranked opponent opened the scoring in the bottom of the first in unusual fashion - an inside-the-park home run. One other Eagle reached base safely in the frame, but Muraskin minimized the damage to just one run.

USCB had a chance to plate runs in the top of the second and third, as the Sand Sharks put two runners on base. However, the Sand Sharks left all four on base to remain scoreless.

In the bottom of the fourth, RU tallied three runs to take the 4-0 lead, as it used two hits and a USCB fielding error to take the four-run lead.

The following inning, the Eagles added another run to advance the lead to five, 5-0.

The Sand Sharks had a strong sixth inning, as Domingue led off the inning with a single through the right side. Zinia Hampleton followed with a walk, and the two Sand Sharks moved into scoring position after a groundout. Ashlyn Alte drew a two-out walk to force the bases loaded, but the final out was recorded off a fly out to leave all three Sand Sharks on base.

The Sand Sharks couldn't mount a comeback in the seventh, despite a one-out walk from Devon Weller. 

INSIDE GAME TWO BOX SCORE

Amber Locasto - 2-for-2, one run

Jaci Coleman - 1-for-3, one RBI

Weller, Gaskin and Alyssa Smith - one single each

HOW GAME TWO HAPPENED

 The first inning-and-a-half went by really quickly for both clubs, as they went 1-2-3.

In the bottom of the second, Reinhardt's offense exploded for four runs off four hits - all singles. With the four-run frame, RU took the 4-0 lead. 

USCB's offense started to find a groove in the top of the third with a one-out, run-scoring hit. Locasto, Smith and Weller strung together three straight singles, and Coleman made it hurt with a RBI single. Unfortunately, the final two outs were recorded on a 6-4-3 double play to keep the game 4-1.

The Sand Sharks nearly added offense in the top of the fourth when Gaskin and Dunn reached base safely with one out. A caught stealing and a groundout left Dunn on second base and kept the deficit at three, 4-1. 

To put the game out of hand, the Eagles added a pair of runs in the fourth off a two-run homer and three runs in the fifth to end the game at 9-1.

RECORDS UPDATE

USCB - 6-4 overall

No. 8 Reinhardt - 18-4 overall

WHAT'S NEXT?

USCB will continue its roadswing on Friday, March 12, as it will travel to Lawrenceville, Ga. to play No. 6 Georgia Gwinnett and Rio Grande at the Grizzly Softball Complex. First pitch against GGC is set for 1 p.m., while the contest with the Red Storm is scheduled for 5 p.m.