HARDEEVILLE, S.C. - To open a four-game series versus Aquinas, the USCB baseball team sealed the doubleheader sweep, 7-4 and 8-1, on Thursday at Richard Gray Stadium.

INSIDE THE GAME ONE BOX SCORE

Alexander Humphrey - 1-for-4, two-run home run

Leandy Castro - 1-for-4, double, two RBIs

Brian Meyer - 2-for-3, double, single, two runs

Brock Thibodeaux - 2-for-4, two singles

Clint Sellars - 2-for-3, double, single, one RBI, one run

Brandon Blume - win, six innings, five hits, four runs, two walks, three strikeouts

Tucker Perry - one inning, save, one hit, no runs, one walk, two strikeouts

HOW GAME ONE HAPPENED

After a 1-2-3 top of the first, USCB had a big two-out at-bat from Humphrey, as he drove his first home run of the year to straight away center. His blast to the deepest part of the park gave the Sand Sharks the early 2-0 lead.

The Saints produced a long top of the second, which resulted in four runs off four hits. AC found itself ahead by two, 4-2.

Following a very fast third inning, USCB had a chance to chip away at the deficit. Kyran Russ walked with one out, and after a ground out, Russ moved to third base on a failed pickoff attempt with two outs. However, the final out was recorded before he could touch home. 

After stranding two Aquinas players on base in the top of the fifth, USCB had a prime opportunity to take the lead. Sellars crushed a double to left center to lead off the inning. Thibodeaux followed with a single, and Meyer walked to force the bases loaded with one out. After a mound meeting, the Aquinas starting pitcher worked out of the jam with a line out and a fly out.

The Sand Sharks produced a long inning of their own in the bottom of the sixth, which resulted in retaking the lead. The first three Sand Shark batters reached base safely, which resulted in the bases loaded with no outs. McKown smacked a fly out to deep center, and with heads-up base running, two Sand Sharks scored on the play to tie the game at 4-all. Sellars then followed with a RBI single that gave USCB the 5-4 lead. Thibodeaux and Meyer collected back-to-back hits, and Castro made it hurt with a bloop double to center. The hit allowed Meyer to score, which resulted in taking the three-run lead - 7-4. 

Despite facing six batters and having the bases loaded with one out, Perry worked out of the seventh-inning jam and sealed his second save of the year.

INSIDE THE GAME TWO BOX SCORE

Castro - 2-for-3, three RBIs, two singles

Thibodeaux - 3-for-4, three singles, two runs

Brevon Harper - 2-for-2, double, single, two RBIs

Russ and Nick Milhan - two hits and a RBI each

Meyer - 1-for-3, single two runs

Scott Matthews - five innings, win, no earned runs, four hits, two walks, nine strikeouts

Brandon Martin - two innings, one hit, no runs, no walks, two strikeouts

HOW GAME TWO HAPPENED

Aquinas threatened to take the lead in the top of the first. The Saints collected back-to-back singles to start the inning. However, Matthews worked out of the jam without a run to score. 

The Sand Shark offense then went to work in the home half of the first. Thibodeaux and Meyer started with singles. Castro moved both runners into scoring position, and Humphrey poked a single to right to take the 1-0 lead. With runners at the corners, Russ connected with a single of his own to double the lead, 2-0. Milhan followed with another single to take the 3-0 lead, and Harper capped off the scoring with the fourth straight run-scoring single for USCB. With the six hits in the inning, USCB managed to take the 4-0 lead. 

Following a scoreless second, both Aquinas and USCB had chances to score in the third frame. The Saints left a pair of runners on base, while USCB had a runner gunned down at home for the final out.

AC and USCB exchanged blows in the fourth. The Saints posted one run off a throwing error, while the Sand Sharks posted two runs off Castro's bat. The Sand Shark senior's hit was a two-RBI knock and made the game 6-1.

USCB tacked on an insurance run in the bottom of the fifth when Harper earned a sacrifice fly.

Moving into the bottom of the sixth, Castro again came up clutch, as he recorded a RBI single. The run-scoring hit advanced the lead to seven, 8-1.

Martin had little trouble with the Aquinas lineup in the seventh, as he only faced four batters to seal the sweep over the Saints.

TEAM RECORD UPDATES

USCB - 11-14 overall

Aquinas - 6-13 overall

WHAT'S NEXT?

USCB and Aquinas are still tentatively scheduled to conclude the four-game series on Friday, March 11. First pitch is set for 11 a.m. at Richard Gray Stadium.