HARDEEVILLE, S.C. - Freshman outfielder Daryn Miller walked off game one for USCB softball in extra innings, 8-7, while the Sand Sharks fell late to Georgia College in the night cap, 7-4, to split the doubleheader on Wednesday at Richard Gray Stadium.
INSIDE THE GAME ONE BOX SCORE
Francie Gaskin - 4-for-5, four singles, two RBIs
Miller - 1-for-4, walk-off RBI single
Addie Reynolds - 1-for-3, three-run home run, three runs, two walks
Mackenzie Freeman - 2-for-4, double, single, one RBI
Ashlyn Alte - 1-for-4, two runs
Caitlin Toole - 3.2 innings, two hits, no earned runs
Reghan Steifle - win, 1.1 innings, one hit, no earned runs, one strikeout
HOW GAME ONE HAPPENED
Scoring came early and often for both clubs. GCSU started the scoring with a pair of runs in the top of the second. Lauren Sommerer and Bella Carnes put the ball in play for the Bobcats to account for the two runs.
The Sand Sharks retaliated with a trio of runs in the bottom of the third. The three runs came off one swing of the bat - a three-run homer from Reynolds. The homer to left was her fifth of the year and gave USCB the one-run lead, 3-2.
The Bobcats rattled off three unanswered runs in the next two frames to retake the lead, 5-3.
After a scoreless sixth and top of the seventh, USCB had to plate at least two runs to force extras, and the Sand Sharks did just that - a two-run inning. With one out, Taylor VanHouse started the rally with a single. Alte changed places with her at first, and Reynolds followed with a walk. Freeman cracked a single to score Alte and made it a one-run game. With two outs, Gaskin connected with the game-tying hit to knot the game at 5-all. On the same play, Freeman was tagged out, but USCB did enough to force extra innings.
Both teams plated one run each in the eighth. USCB and GCSU had chances to add runs in its respective innings but were forced to play another inning tied at 6-6.
The Bobcats were able to retake the lead in the top of the ninth, as Jessica Owens tallied the RBI single for GCSU.
With VanHouse placed on second, Alte laid down a sacrifice bunt to move her teammate to third. After a walk and a flyout, Gaskin roped the game-tying single to left. Jazmin Ramirez walked to force the bases loaded, and Miller came up clutch with a bloop, game-winning single down the right field line. With the hit, USCB won the first game of the doubleheader over Georgia College, 8-7, in nine innings.
INSIDE THE GAME TWO BOX SCORE
Miller - 1-for-3, single, three RBIs
Jaci Coleman - 1-for-4, triple, one run
Reynolds and Freeman - one single and one run each
Taylor Florea - 6.1 innings, five hits, one walk, nine strikeouts
HOW GAME TWO HAPPENED
Unlike game one, USCB's offense struck first - a solo run in the home half of the first. Coleman smacked a triple to straight away center, and she later scored via a wild pitch.
After a quick second frame, Georgia College took its first lead of the contest in the top of the third. The Bobcats scored a pair of runs off a USCB error, which gifted GCSU the 2-1 lead.
The middle innings - fourth and fifth - were dominated by pitching. Between the two clubs, they only combined for one hit - a Reynolds' leadoff single in the fourth. Florea was dominant from the fourth to the sixth inning for the Sand Sharks, as she collected four strikeouts.
The Sand Sharks started to get a rally started in the home half of the sixth. Reynolds walked with one out, and Freeman blooped a single in between short and second. With two runners on and one out, Gaskin drew a full-count walk to put ducks on the pond for USCB. After a strikeout, Miller came up clutch yet again, as she smoked a bases-clearing hit to center. The Bobcat centerfielder committed a fielding error following the single, which allowed three Sand Sharks to touch home to give USCB the 4-2 lead. Miller was tagged out at home for the final out, as she tried to make it a three-run contest.
Florea went back out to continue her dominance in the circle, but Georgia College had other plans, as it struck for five runs and retook the lead for the second time in the game - 7-4.
The Sand Sharks tried to mount another seventh-inning comeback, but USCB was held scoreless in the three-run loss.
RECORDS UPDATE
USCB - 7-7 overall
Georgia College - 5-9 overall
WHAT'S NEXT?
After playing six games in the last four days, USCB will take a long-deserved break from the diamond, as it rests and prepares for the Spring Games. The tournament is a three-day, six-game outing that begins on March 7 in Kissimmee, Fla. USCB will play St. Xavier, Indiana Wesleyan, Marian, Lawrence Tech, Siena Heights and Union College at the tournament.
