HARDEEVILLE, S.C. - After opening the season with a six-game winning streak, the USCB softball team dropped its first games of the year, 8-2 and 8-0, to Southern Wesleyan on Saturday at Richard Gray Stadium.

INSIDE GAME ONE BOX SCORE

Zinia Hampleton - 1-for-3, double

Jaci Coleman - 1-for-3, single, one run

Ashlyn Alte - 0-for-1, one RBI

Sierra Bilinski - 3.2 innings, two earned runs, four strikeouts

HOW GAME ONE HAPPENED

Southern Wesleyan jumped out to an early 3-0 lead at the end of the second inning. Only one of those runs were earned, as an error in the first inning allowed two runs to score.

The Warriors added five runs in the top of the fourth to take the eight-run lead. Again, they took advantage of USCB miscues en route to the five-run frame. 

USCB's offense started to find a groove in the bottom of fourth with a pair of runs off two hits. Coleman scored on an error, and Alte plated Gaskin on a RBI ground out.

The rest of the game was quick, but USCB tried to mount some offense in the seventh frame, as Amber Locasto and Bri Dunn each tallied hits. However, both Sand Sharks couldn't score in the six-run loss.

INSIDE GAME TWO BOX SCORE

Devon Weller - 2-for-3, two singles

Ally Muraskin - three innings, one earned run

Caitlin Toole - two innings, one hit, no runs

HOW GAME TWO HAPPENED

Similar to game one, the Warriors jumped out to a fast lead - a three-run first frame.

In the third frame, SWU added one more run to take the four-run lead. 

USCB broke up the no-hitter in the bottom of the third when Weller cracked a single to left.

Unfortunately, SWU made it an eight-run contest with a four-run fourth inning. 

The Sand Sharks tried to mount a comeback in the fourth. Francie Gaskin led off the inning with a walk, and Locasto drew a six-pitch walk to put two runners on base with two outs. However, both Sand Sharks were left stranded.

Both SWU and USCB put runners on base in the fifth inning, but the run-rule was put in effect, as the Sand Sharks lost - 8-0.  

RECORDS UPDATE

USCB - 6-2 overall

Southern Wesleyan - 6-4 overall

WHAT'S NEXT?

USCB will have a busy weekend when it will play six games in three days. Beginning that stretch, the Sand Sharks will face off with Reinhardt on March 11 beginning at 12 p.m. in Waleska, Ga.