HARDEEVILLE, S.C. - Behind no earned runs and 16 strikeouts from Maria Molloseau and Ally Muraskin, the USCB softball team split with Sun Conference foe St. Thomas, 1-0 and 7-0, on Thursday afternoon at Richard Gray Stadium.
INSIDE THE GAME ONE BOX SCORE
Muraskin - eight innings, four hits, no earned runs, one walk, nine strikeouts
Bri Dunn, Emily Phillips, Kaleigh Furbush, Zinia Hampleton and Rachel Frankhouser - one hit each
HOW GAME ONE HAPPENED
Muraskin was dealing in the circle from the get-go, as she didn't allow a runner to reach base safely until the third inning (walk). She allowed her first hit in the fourth inning, which was a single down the right field line.
The Sand Sharks had chances to plate runs in the first and third innings, as they left two players on base in both frames.
One of USCB's best chances to score came in the bottom of the fifth when Frankhouser tallied a leadoff bunt single. She advanced to second on a throwing error, and Dunn grounded out to put her teammate on third base with one out. However, the next two Sand Sharks couldn't score Frankhouser, as they went down in order.
Neither team had a solid chance to break the scoreless tie in regulation, so the two clubs went into extra innings.
With a runner automatically placed on second base, STU took advantage with a sacrifice bunt and a sacrifice fly to score the Bobcat. The run-scoring sac fly made the contest, 1-0.
Just like STU, USCB had a runner placed on second, but due to a base running miscue, the Sand Shark was called out at third. The Sand Sharks couldn't recover, as the next two batters grounded out in the one-run loss.
INSIDE THE GAME TWO BOX SCORE
Molloseau - seven innings, win, four hits, no runs, no walks, seven strikeouts
Furbush - 3-for-4, double, two singles, three RBIs
Ashlyn Alte - 2-for-4, two doubles, one RBI, two runs
Devon Weller - 1-for-4, triple, one RBI
Dunn - 1-for-4, single, two runs
Phillips - 1-for-3, single, one run
Hampleton - 0-for-1, one RBI, one run
Amber Locasto, Mackenzie Freeman and Frankhouser and Jaci Coleman - one single each
HOW GAME TWO HAPPENED
The Sand Shark offense opened the scoring early in game two, as the lone run in the first inning came with two outs. After two quick outs, Alte doubled to deep center to put a Sand Shark in scoring position, and Furbush followed with the run-scoring double that hit off the left field fence.
Molloseau had to dig out of two jams in the second and fourth innings, as she allowed a pair of Bobcat hits in both innings. The senior pitcher stayed poised though, as she left all four Bobcats on base.
After leaving the bases loaded in the fourth, USCB added on two runs in the bottom of the fifth to take the 3-0 lead. Furbush, again, came up clutch, as she connected with a ringing single to center field. The senior's hit scored Phillips and Dunn.
The USCB offense didn't stop there, as it added on four more runs off five hits and an error in the home half of the sixth. Hampleton earned a RBI off a fielder's choice, and Alte smacked a two RBI double to left center to plate Dunn and Hampleton. Weller capped off the scoring with a RBI triple, which pushed the lead to seven, 7-0.
Molloseau didn't mess around in the top of the seventh, as she mowed down the Bobcat lineup 1-2-3 en route to the 7-0 win.
RECORDS UPDATE
USCB - 12-12 overall, 3-5 Sun Conference
St. Thomas - 8-8 overall, 2-4 Sun Conference
WHAT'S NEXT?
Continuing with its eight-game homestand, USCB will next welcome Ave Maria for a league doubleheader on Saturday, March 27. First pitch is slated for 11 a.m. at Richard Gray Stadium.
