HARDEEVILLE, S.C. - To open the 2022 season, the USCB baseball team dropped a pair of one-run, non-conference games, 3-2 and 2-1, to Milligan on Friday at Richard Gray Stadium.

INSIDE THE GAME ONE BOX SCORE

Leandy Castro - 1-for-4, triple, one RBI, one run scored

Brian Meyer - 1-for-3, double, one run

Brock Thibodeaux - 1-for-1, single, one RBI

Brandon Blume - 4.2 innings, seven hits, two runs, no walks, five strikeouts

Javier Saenz - one inning, no runs, no hits

HOW GAME ONE HAPPENED

Milligan took advantage of a leadoff single in the first inning to eventually take a 1-0 lead. Braden Spano doubled with two outs to give MU the lead.

USCB quickly answered in the bottom of the first with two runs to take the lead. After a leadoff strikeout, Meyer was hit by a pitch and swiped second. After a flyout, Castro smacked a triple to right center to tie the game, 1-1. Nick Milhan was also hit by a pitch, and Kyran Russ followed with a walk. With the bases loaded, Thibodeaux drew a bases-loaded walk to make the game 2-1.

The USCB offense sputtered for the next three frames, and the Buffs took advantage with lone runs in the fifth and sixth innings to regain the lead, 3-2. 

USCB's next chance came in the home half of the sixth when Milhan and Russ reached base with one out. However, the two Sand Sharks were left stranded. 

After a quick top of the seventh, Meyer made the contest interesting with two-out magic. He cracked a double, and Clint Sellars was hit by a pitch to put two runners on base, while down 3-2. Unfortunately, the Buffs stopped the bleeding and sealed the one-run win.

INSIDE THE GAME TWO BOX SCORE

Meyer - 2-for-4, two singles

Wesley Ambrose - 1-for-3, double, one RBI

Milhan - 1-for-2, single, one run

Scott Matthews - four innings, three hits, one earned run, two strikeouts

Brian Bromley - two innings, one hit, no runs, no walks, two strikeouts

Tucker Perry - one inning, no runs, no hits, no walks, two strikeouts 

HOW GAME TWO HAPPENED

Similar to game one, Milligan's offense started off the game hot - with a pair of runs. Anthony Guzman scored on a wild pitch, and Spano plated his teammate with a double to right center.

After a 1-2-3 inning, USCB's offense found some momentum in the second with two, one-out walks. Again, the Sand Sharks were left stranded on base.

The Sand Shark offense again got hot in the bottom of the third. Meyer and Sellars connected with base knocks to force Milligan's hand. Again, the Buffs answered the call with a pair of strikeouts to preserve their 2-0 advantage. 

USCB finally broke onto the scoreboard in the fifth with a lone run off Ambrose's bat. Milhan walked to start the inning and moved to second on a wild pitch. Ambrose smoked a double to left center to make the game 2-1.

After a quiet sixth and top of the seventh inning, USCB's offense didn't go down silently in the bottom of the seventh. Milhan tallied a single with one out, and after a flyout, Meyer poked a single through the right side to put runners at the corners. To increase stress, Meyer swiped second to put the game-winning run in scoring position. After a long at-bat, Sellars eventually struck out in the 2-1 loss to Milligan.

TEAM RECORD UPDATES

USCB - 0-2 overall

Milligan - 2-0 overall

WHAT'S NEXT?

USCB and Milligan will conclude its four-game series on Saturday, Jan. 29 at Richard Gray Stadium. First pitch is set for noon.