GREENWOOD, S.C. - To open play at the Bearcat Round Robin, the USCB softball team nearly swept its two games but settled for a split against two NCAA DII and Peach Belt Conference foes - North Georgia and Lander.
The Sand Sharks started the day by shocking No. 4 North Georgia, 3-1, and nearly capped off the sweep. However, the Sand Sharks fell to Lander, 2-1, in Greenwood on Saturday.
INSIDE THE NORTH GEORGIA BOX SCORE
Sierra Bilinski - seven innings, win, three hits, one run, no walks, six strikeouts
Ashlyn Alte - 2-for-3, solo home run
Addie Reynolds - 1-for-3, single
Devon Weller and Taylor VanHouse - one run each
HOW THE UNG GAME HAPPENED
After three quick and scoreless innings for both ball clubs, the fourth inning featured all of the offense the game had to offer - four combined runs with three being scored by USCB.
In the top of the fourth, Weller started the rally with leadoff walk. VanHouse laid down a sacrifice walk, but the UNG pitcher threw the ball away trying to get Weller at second. The errant throw went all the way to the outfield fence. Hustling all the way, Weller and VanHouse both scored to take the 2-0 lead. Following promptly, Alte clobbered a solo homer to straight away center to take the 3-0 advantage.
North Georgia chipped away at the deficit, but only one run is all it would get, which made the contest 3-1 after four complete.
From the fifth to seventh innings, USCB left three runners on base, including a pair in the top of the sixth.
However, Bilinski didn't need any more offensive backing, as she continued to work out of trouble and mowed down the Nighthawk batters en route to her second victory and third complete game of the 2022 season.
INSIDE THE LANDER BOX SCORE
Weller - 1-for-3, solo home run
VanHouse, Alte, Francie Gaskin and Jaci Coleman - one single each
Caitlin Toole - two innings, one hit, no runs, no walks
Taylor Florea - four innings, five hits, two runs, two walks, two strikeouts
HOW THE LU GAME HAPPENED
Unlike the first game for USCB, the first inning saw offense for both teams. In fact, Weller started the contest out with a bang - a solo shot to straightaway center to give USCB the 1-0 lead.
Lander pieced together back-to-back singles in the home half of the first and took advantage with a run-scoring bunt that knotted the game at 1-all.
After leaving a runner stranded at third in the bottom of the second, USCB threatened to score runs in the top of the third. The Sand Sharks put two runners in scoring position, but the final out was recorded before USCB could score.
Moving into the bottom of the fifth, Ka'naya Jones wrecked havoc on the base paths, which resulted in the go-ahead run for Lander. She walked and then followed with two straight stolen bases. She scored on the same batter to give the Bearcats the 2-1 lead.
In the sixth, USCB was able to again put two runners in scoring position - this time with one out - but still couldn't score the tying or go-ahead runs.
Instead, Liz Gollin left the two Sand Sharks stranded and worked a 1-2-3 seventh inning to seal the one-run win, 2-1.
RECORDS UPDATE
USCB - 6-4 overall
NCAA DII No. 4 North Georgia - 9-3 overall
Lander - 11-1 overall
WHAT'S NEXT?
The Sand Sharks will again square off with North Georgia and Lander to conclude play at the Bearcat Round Robin on Sunday, Feb. 20. USCB plays North Georgia at 12:30 ap.m. followed by squaring off with Lander at 4:30 p.m. in Greenwood.
