HARDEEVILLE, S.C. - To conclude the 2021 regular season, the USCB softball team split with Southeastern, 6-0 and 8-6, on Saturday, as the Sand Sharks clinched the No. 4 seed in the Sun Conference Tournament.
INSIDE THE GAME ONE BOX SCORE
Maria Molloseau - seven innings, win, three hits, no runs, no walks, two strikeouts
Amber Locasto - 2-for-3, two singles, one RBI
Ashlyn Alte - 2-for-3, two singles, two runs
Bri Dunn - 2-for-3, double, one run
Kaleigh Furbush, Francie Gaskin, Hoolie Garcia - one single and one RBI each
Devon Weller - 1-for-4, single, one run
HOW GAME ONE HAPPENED
USCB opened the game with a two-run first inning. Weller collected a single, and she eventually scored on a throwing error. Furbush plated Alte, who singled earlier in the inning, to take the 2-0 advantage.
Molloseau only needed that two-run lead, as she was dealing for the entire contest. She allowed her first hit of the game in the third, a single, as a runner never even touched second base in the seven-inning contest. In fact, she induced three double plays in the game, which forced SEU to no runners left on base.
With Molloseau's stellar pitching, USCB added on four more runs in the third frame to take the six-run lead. After two quick outs, the Sand Sharks started a rally. Dunn doubled, and after an Alte walk, Furbush singled to force the bases loaded. Gaskin plated the first run, as they went station to station. After a pitching change, Garcia singled to take the 4-0 lead. Frankhouser then earned a RBI off a fielder's choice, and Locasto capped off the frame with a RBI single of her own.
The Sand Sharks didn't tally anymore runs, but they were able to collect three hits from the fourth inning-on, including a two-hit fourth frame.
INSIDE THE GAME TWO BOX SCORE
Alte - 3-for-4, three singles, one run
Furbush - 2-for-4, two runs
Rachel Frankhouser - 1-for-3, two RBIs
Weller - 2-for-4, two singles
Jodi Hatcher - 2-for-4, two singles, one RBI
Gaskin - 1-for-3, one run, one RBI
Mackenzie Freeman - 1-for-1, single, one RBI
HOW GAME TWO HAPPENED
After both teams tallied two hits each in the first inning, Southeastern scored its first runs of the day with a two-run second inning.
The Sand Sharks tried to answer in the bottom of the second and nearly did, but two runners were left on base.
After a 1-2-3 top of the third, USCB mounted a rally to take its first lead of the contest, 3-2. Garcia poked a run-scoring sacrifice fly, and Freeman collected a game-tying, pinch-hit single. Hatcher gave the Sand Sharks the lead with a RBI single of her own to account for the three-run frame.
USCB extended its lead to two runs, 4-2, in the bottom of the fifth when Frankhouser scored Furbush from third base.
The Fire retaliated with a six-run sixth inning to regain their lead, as they pulled ahead - 8-4. Southeastern took advantage of four hits and two errors in the game-changing inning.
The Sand Sharks didn't cave though, as they strung together another frame that amounted to two more runs. They plated a pair in the home half of the sixth with Gaskin's RBI single and Frankhouser's RBI knock. The two run-scoring hits made the game 8-6.
After leaving a pair of Fire players stranded in the top of the seventh, USCB made the game really interesting in the half inning. Weller started the one-out rally with a bunt single. Dunn followed with a poke of her own, and Alte forced the bases loaded with a single of her own. The next two Sand Sharks couldn't capitalize on the bases-loaded opportunity, as they flew out to end the game - 8-6.
RECORDS UPDATE
USCB - 23-21 overall, 13-11 The Sun Conference
Southeastern - 29-22 overall, 11-13 The Sun Conference
WHAT'S NEXT?
With its split on Saturday, USCB drew the No. 4 seed in the Sun Conference Tournament and will open the three-day, double-elimination tournament with No. 5 Keiser on Thursday, May 6 in Clermont, Fla. The first game is set for 11 a.m. at the PFX Athletics Complex.
