HARDEEVILLE, S.C. - The USCB softball team used strong pitching and early offense in game one to beat Thomas, 5-1, but the Night Hawks utilized late scoring to edge the Sand Sharks, 3-2, in the night cap for a split at Richard Gray Stadium on Wednesday afternoon.

INSIDE THE GAME ONE BOX SCORE

Ally Muraskin - seven innings, win, six hits, one run, one walk, eight strikeouts

Kaleigh Furbush - 1-for-4, RBI

Ashlyn Alte - 1-for-3, RBI

Amber Locasto - 1-for-2, RBI, run

Rachel Frankhouser - 1-for-2, run

Emily Phillips - 1-for-1, run

HOW GAME ONE HAPPENED

After both teams left a runner on base in the first inning, USCB's offense erupted for a three-run second inning. Devon Weller started the rally with a walk, and after an out, Frankhouser put two runners on base via a single to left. With runners at the corners, Weller touched home via a passed ball to take the 1-0 lead. After a walk and a stolen base, Locasto plated Frankhouser from third base to take the two-run lead. Bri Dunn dropped a single down the right field line to force the bases loaded, and after a pitching change, Jodi Hatcher came up with a clutch RBI single to push the lead to three.

The Night Hawks scored their first run of the game off an odd play when Rebecca Dorsett swiped second and scored after the ball found its way into left field.

The Sand Sharks regained that lone run in the bottom of the fourth when Alte smacked a run-scoring single to center to make the game 4-1.

After a scoreless fifth, USCB pushed its lead to four, as Furbush collected a RBI single to center in the home half of the sixth.

Muraskin went back out to close the seventh. She allowed a leadoff double, but she sat the next three batters down in order to seal her eighth victory of the 2021 season. 

INSIDE THE GAME TWO BOX SCORE

Hoolie Garcia - 1-for-3, RBI

Furbush - 1-for-1, double, RBI, two walks

Phillips - 1-for-2, run

Maria Molloseau - five innings, four hits, two runs, one walk, five strikeouts

Muraskin - two innings, two hits, one run, no walks, two strikeouts

HOW GAME TWO HAPPENED

Molloseau struggled in the first inning, as Thomas was able to work the bases loaded with one out. Thanks to careful pitching from the right-handed senior, she forced a groundout and a strikeout to leave all three Night Hawks on base without a run to score.

The Sand Shark offense took advantage of the momentum, as it plated a run off three hits. Dunn and Phillips collected back-to-back singles to start the inning. After a strikeout and a caught stealing, Furbush blooped a RBI single to left center, which plated Phillips easily.

With USCB up 1-0, the two teams struggled to find offense in the second and third innings. Molloseau kept that trend up in the fourth, as she held TU scoreless, and USCB was able to double its lead in the bottom of the fourth. Furbush walked, and she was pinch ran for by Marti Gathings. After a sacrifice bunt, Garcia smacked a single up the middle to give USCB the 2-0 lead.

Molloseau continued to mow down the Thomas lineup but struggled in the top of the sixth. The Night Hawks tallied four hits to take its first lead of the day, 3-2.

USCB's best chance to tie or take the lead came in the bottom of the sixth when Furbush led the frame off with a five-pitch walk. Weller came on to pinch run, and she swiped second easily to put a runner in scoring position. Unfortunately, TU's relief pitcher Larran Carter struck out the next three batters to hold on to the one-run lead. 

The Sand Sharks couldn't mount a comeback in the final frame, as they fell in the nightcap - 3-2.

RECORDS UPDATE

USCB - 15-13 overall, 6-6 Sun Conference

Thomas - 14-12 overall, 5-7 Sun Conference

WHAT'S NEXT?

USCB will welcome No. 10 Georgia Gwinnett to the Lowcountry on Friday, April 2. USCB and GGC met once earlier this year, and the Sand Sharks upset the Grizzlies, 7-1, in Lawrenceville, Ga. First pitch of the doubleheader on Friday is set for 1 p.m. at Richard Gray Stadium.