HARDEEVILLE, S.C. - To end an eight-game homestand, the USCB softball team narrowly fell to No. 10 Georgia Gwinnett, 1-0 and 3-2, on Friday afternoon at Richard Gray Stadium.

INSIDE THE GAME ONE BOX SCORE

Maria Molloseau - seven innings, seven hits, one run, one walk, five strikeout

Devon Weller - 1-for-1, single, two walks

Rachel Frankhouser - 1-for-2, single, one walk

Emily Phillips - 1-for-3, single

Ashlyn Alte - 1-for-4, single

HOW GAME ONE HAPPENED

USCB had multiple chances to score in the first game of the doubleheader, as it had at least one runner reach in the first five innings. USCB's only frame it couldn't put a runner on was in the sixth, as it went 1-2-3, but the Sand Sharks totaled two hits in the seventh inning to put pressure on the Grizzlies.

Two of the Sand Sharks' best chances to score came in the first, fifth and seventh innings. 

In the first frame, USCB had Weller and Alte reach base safely on a single and a fielding error, respectively. However, the two Sand Sharks were left stranded. 

In the fifth inning, Weller, Bri Dunn and Mackenzie Freeman walked to force the bases loaded, but GGC totaled three outs from a pop out and two strikeouts to strand the three Sand Sharks.

With USCB's offensive struggles, Georgia Gwinnett took advantage with the early and eventual game-winning run in the top of the second. Sydney Pelaez started the inning with a double, and after a sacrifice bunt, she scored on another groundout to take the 1-0 lead.

The Sand Sharks nearly knotted the game in the final inning when Phillips started the frame with a bunt single. After a sacrifice bunt and a groundout, Alte cracked a single to left. The GGC leftfielder made a throw to home, and Phillips was called out at the plate, as she was the game-tying run. With the out at home, USCB fell to the Grizzlies, 1-0. 

INSIDE THE GAME TWO BOX SCORE

Sierra Bilinski - 6.1 innings, seven hits, one earned run, one walk, four strikeouts

Libby Carey - 0.2 innings, no runs, no hits, no walks

Kaleigh Furbush - 2-for-3, two singles, two RBIs

Weller - 1-for-4, single, one run

Frankhouser and Phillips - one single each

HOW GAME TWO HAPPENED

Unlike game one, USCB's offense worked quickly in the second game, as it plated a run in the first inning. After two quick outs, Alte reached base thanks to a dropped third strike. She stole second base, and Furbush roped a single through the right side to score Alte and give USCB the 1-0 lead.

GGC knotted the contest at 1-all in the top of the third, as Josie Haulk and Piper Wagner posted back-to-back, two-out doubles. Wagner plated Haulk on her extra-base knock.

The Sand Sharks quickly responded in the home half of the third with a run. Weller led the inning off with a single, and she moved to second via a sacrifice bunt from Dunn. After a ground out, USCB was given a second life following a dropped fly ball from the GGC third baseman. Furbush capitalized with the blow, as she connected with the run-scoring single to make the game 2-1.

After threatening in the fifth, Georgia Gwinnett tied and took its first lead in the top of the seventh. Lea McFadden and Haulk posted the RBIs in the inning to make it a one-run game, 3-2.

The Sand Sharks put a runner on base - Frankhouser - in the bottom of the seventh. The senior outfielder was able to move to third base with one out, but the final two Sand Sharks went down via a strikeout and groundout in another one-run loss, 3-2.

RECORDS UPDATE

USCB - 15-15 overall

No. 10 Georgia Gwinnett - 20-8 overall 

WHAT'S NEXT?

After playing 16 games in 16 days, USCB will take a well-deserved eight days off from the diamond to prepare for another top-25 team - Southeastern. The Sand Sharks and Fire will meet in Lakeland, Fla. on April 10 beginning at noon.