CLEVELAND, Ga. - To wrap up the six-game road swing, the USCB softball handled No. 24 Truett McConnell in game one, 4-1, but fell in the rain-shorted night cap, 9-3, on Saturday at TMU Softball Complex. 

INSIDE THE GAME ONE BOX SCORE

Maria Molloseau - 3.1 innings, three hits, one run, one walk, three strikeouts

Ally Muraskin - 3.2 innings, win, no runs, no hits, no walks, four strikeouts

Francie Gaskin - 2-for-3, two singles

Zinia Hampleton - 2-for-2, double, one run

Jaci Coleman and Bri Dunn - both 1-for-4 with one RBI

HOW GAME ONE HAPPENED

The Sand Sharks tried to open the scoring in the first inning with two-out magic. Shania Domingue and Gaskin collected back-to-back walks, but Amber Locasto grounded out to leave the two Sand Sharks on base.

After a 1-2-3 bottom of the first, USCB broke through in the top of the second. Alexis Odum started the two-out rally with a walk, and Hampleton put runners at the corners via a single to right field. Thanks to a delayed steal, Hampleton touched home to give USCB the 1-0 lead. 

TMU tied the contest up, 1-all, in the bottom of the fourth off two hits. Similar to USCB, Mattie Brooks stole home to knot the contest.

USCB quickly regained its one-run lead in the next inning when Dunn came up with a clutch, run-scoring single to center. The hit plated Hampleton, who started the inning with a double.

The Sand Shark offense continued to add runs with solo runs in both the sixth and seventh innings. Weller scored Frankhouser on a bases-loaded walk in the sixth, and Coleman tallied a RBI off a groundout in the seventh.

With the two additional runs in the final two frames, the Sand Sharks upset the nationally-ranked Bears, 4-1, to win the first game of the doubleheader. 

INSIDE THE GAME TWO BOX SCORE

Devon Weller - 2-for-3, home run, double, two RBIs, one run

Ashlyn Alte - 1-for-2, one run

Rachel Frankhouser - 1-for-2, one run

Libby Carey - one inning, one hit, no runs, no walks, two strikeouts 

HOW GAME TWO HAPPENED

The nationally-ranked Bears squad wasted no time scoring runs, as it totaled six runs off six hits in the first inning.

After a very quick second frame, USCB cut into the deficit in the third inning with a pair of runs. Weller cracked a RBI double, and Dunn connected with a sacrifice fly to make it a four-run game, 6 -2.

The Bears added to their lead in the home half of the third with a three-run inning. With the trio of runs, TMU took the seven-run lead, 9-2.

Weller continued her hot hand in the top of the fifth, as the freshman smacked a solo home run to left to make the game 9-3. 

Due to weather, the game was called off in the bottom of the fifth and ruled in favor of the Bears, 9-2. Since the Sand Sharks hit in the top of the fifth, the game reached the minimum amount of innings to deem it an official game - according to the NAIA and NCAA softball rulebook.

RECORDS UPDATE

USCB - 8-6 overall

No. 24 Truett McConnell - 11-5 overall

WHAT'S NEXT?

After playing six games in three days, the Sand Shark softball team will take a couple days off to prepare for the Sun Conference opener against Coastal Georgia. First pitch for the TSC opener for the Sand Sharks is set for 2 p.m. at home on March 17.