HARDEEVILLE, S.C. - Behind Shania Domingue's walk-off hit and Ally Muraskin's two complete-game wins, the USCB softball team picked up a pair of key wins on Saturday, as the Sand Sharks downed No. 18 Warner, 8-0 and 3-1, at Richard Gray Stadium.
INSIDE THE GAME ONE BOX SCORE
Muraskin - six innings, one hit, no runs, one walk, 10 strikeouts
Kaleigh Furbush - 3-for-4, double, two singles, four RBIs
Devon Weller - 3-for-4, double, two singles, three RBIs, two runs
Shania Domingue - 2-for-4, game-winning hit, double, one RBI
Emily Phillips - 2-for-2, two singles, two runs
Rachel Frankhouser and Zinia Hampleton - one hit and one run each
HOW GAME ONE HAPPENED
After two quick innings, USCB's bats woke up in the third inning with a trio of runs. Hampleton, Phillips and Weller poked back-to-back-to-back singles, and Weller's infield hit scored Hampleton from third. After a strikeout, passed ball and a walk, Furbush crushed a single to center field, which scored Weller and Phillips to push the lead to three, 3-0.
After a 1-2-3 top of the fourth, the Sand Sharks had another big inning in the fourth, which made the contest 7-0. Frankhouser and Phillips poked infield singles to start the rally, and Weller made it hurt with a ringing double to left center. The extra-base hit plated two runs. Dunn followed with a single to put runners at the corners, and with two outs, Furbush cracked another frozen rope to take the commanding lead, 7-0.
After leaving the bases loaded in the bottom of the fifth, USCB only needed one run to put the game away, and it did just that in the bottom of the sixth. Furbush started the inning with a leadoff double. Alyssa Smith came in to pinch run, and Domingue cracked the game-winning single to left to lift the Sand Sharks to the 8-0 win.
Four of the five innings for Muraskin were 1-2-3 frames for the FIU transfer.
INSIDE THE GAME TWO BOX SCORE
Muraskin - seven innings, 10 hits, no earned runs, one walk, five strikeouts
Ashlyn Alte - 2-for-3, double, single, one RBI
Frankhouser - 2-for-2, two singles, one run
Hoolie Garcia - 2-for-3, two singles
Bri Dunn - 1-for-3, double, one RBI, one run
HOW GAME TWO HAPPENED
Muraskin went back out to start game two in the circle for the Sand Sharks, and the Royals eventually got to the DI transfer with a lone, unearned run in the first. Breyonna Shell connected with a single to right to give Warner the 1-0 lead.
Similar to game one, USCB's offense struggled until the third inning when it tallied the game-tying run. Frankhouser started the inning with a single, and Hampleton dropped down a sacrifice bunt to put her teammate in scoring position. Phillips followed with a walk, and Weller reached base safely to make the bases loaded. With one out, Dunn smoked a sacrifice fly to left to knot the game at 1-all.
After both teams left two runners on base in the fourth, the Sand Sharks took their first lead in game two in the bottom of the fifth. After two quick outs, Dunn smoked a double down the left field line, and Alte followed with a ringing double to left center. Alte's extra-base hit gave USCB the 2-1 lead.
Warner again threatened to score runs in the top of the sixth, but Muraskin stayed poised in the circle. She scattered two hits and left two Royals stranded.
USCB took advantage in the home half of the sixth with a one-run frame. Hampleton connected with a sacrifice fly to score Smith, who pinch ran for Domingue earlier in the inning.
Up 3-1, Muraskin went back to pitch to cap off her second straight complete game. She did just that, as she went 1-2-3 to seal her second straight win.
RECORDS UPDATE
USCB - 18-16 overall, 9-7 The Sun Conference
No. 18 Warner - 25-13 overall, 9-7 The Sun Conference
WHAT'S NEXT?
USCB will open an eight-game road trip on Thursday, April 22, as it will travel to Miami Gardens, Fla. to face off with St. Thomas for the second time this year. First pitch is set for noon.
