LAKE WALES, Fla. - The USCB softball team kicked off Sun Conference play on Friday at Warner, and the Sand Sharks claimed the sweep in dominating fashion. The Sand Sharks and Royals went into extras - 10 innings - as USCB won 8-7 in game one, and USCB then used an eight-run seventh inning to complete the sweep over Warner, 13-1, at Daly Field. 

INSIDE THE GAME ONE BOX SCORE

Devon Weller - 3-for-5, double, two singles, one run

Francie Gaskin - 3-for-6, three singles

Mackenzie Freeman - 2-for-6, two singles, one RBI, three runs

Alyssa Smith - 0-for-2, three runs, three walks

Jaci Coleman - 1-for-3, single, three walks

Sierra Bilinski - 6.2 innings, win, four hits, two earned runs, six strikeouts

Libby Carey - 1.1 innings, one hit, one earned run, one strikeout

Reghan Steifle - two innings, three hits, one earned run, one strikeout 

HOW GAME ONE HAPPENED

USCB's offense was on fire in the first four innings. The Sand Sharks jumped out to a 5-0 lead after four complete. USCB plated a trio of runs in the first inning. Smith touched home on a wild pitch. Freeman earned a RBI on a single, and Freeman touched home on a bases-loaded walk from Coleman. In the fourth, Smith scored on an error, and Ashlyn Alte touched home via an error by the left fielder. 

The Royals knotted the game with two runs in the fourth and three in the sixth to make it a 5-5 game.

Both teams had chances to score in the seventh, but neither ball club could, which forced extra innings.

In the eighth inning, both teams plated one run to force another extra inning. USCB left three runners on base in the frame after scoring one. 

In the ninth, Bilinski worked out of trouble, as she left the game-winning run at third base. 

Tied at 7-7, the Sand Sharks retook the lead, 8-7, when Freeman scored on a Warner error.

With a Royal starting the inning on second, Bilinski walked the first Royal to put two runners on base with no outs. After a strikeout and a ground out, Bilinski walked to force the bases loaded. However the pitch got away for the Sand Shark catcher. Getting greedy to tie the game, Warner tried to score to tie the game. However, Addie Reynolds threw the ball to Bilinski covering home for the third and final out of the game. With the heads-up defense, USCB won the first game, 8-7, in 10 innings.

INSIDE THE GAME TWO BOX SCORE

Smith - 4-for-5, four singles, three runs

Weller - 2-for-5, two doubles, four RBIs, two runs

Freeman - 2-for-5, two singles, one RBI, one run

Gaskin - 2-for-3, double, single, one RBI, two runs

Alte - 2-for-5, two singles, one run

Coleman - 1-for-2, single, two runs

Taylor Florea - 3.2 innings, six hits, one run, one walk

Caitlin Toole - 3.1 innings, win, three hits, no runs, one walk, five strikeouts

HOW GAME TWO HAPPENED

Just like game one, USCB started off red hot. USCB opened with a lone run in the top of the first. Smith started the game with a single, and she stole second. After advancing to third on a throwing error, Weller earned a sac fly to take the 1-0 lead.

Two innings later, USCB added to its one-run lead with a pair of runs. Smith, again, started the frame with a single, and Weller plated her with a double to left field. After a ground out, Freeman poked a single to center to make it 3-0.

In the home half of the third, the Royals scored its first run of the contest with two outs. 

Warner threatened to score in the fourth and fifth innings, but between Florea and Toole, they combined for four runners left on base in that two-inning stretch.

In the top of the sixth, USCB padded its lead with a pair of runs. Gaskin roped a double, and Coleman followed with a single to put two runners in scoring position. Walker then connected with a sacrifice fly, which scored Gaskin from third. Daryn Miller followed by reaching base on a fielding error, which plated Coleman and gave USCB the four-run lead - 5-1.

After a 1-2-3 bottom of the sixth, the Sand Shark offense came unhinged in the top of the seventh. USCB posted eight runs off six hits and one error to take the 12-run lead over the Royals. Gaskin and Weller posted run-scoring hits, while the other runs were scored on walks, wild pitches and errors. With the extended frame, the Sand Sharks held the 13-1 lead.

Warner attempted to plate runs in the bottom of the seventh, but Toole stayed poised in the circle and stranded two Royals on base. With that, USCB earned the sweep over the Royals to kick off Sun Conference play.

RECORDS UPDATE

USCB - 11-9 overall, 2-0 Sun Conference

Warner - 9-11, 0-2 Sun Conference

WHAT'S NEXT?

The Sand Sharks and Royals conclude the three-game series on Saturday with a lone game beginning at 8 a.m.