LAKE WALES, Fla. - Behind her pinch hit, go-ahead RBI single in the top of the seventh, Haley Massenburg led the USCB softball team to a sweep of Warner by claiming a 3-2 win in the series finale on Saturday morning at Daly Field.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
Massenburg - 1-for-1, game-winning, pinch hit RBI single
Mackenzie Freeman - 1-for-2, solo home run
Addie Reynolds - 0-2, sacrifice fly
Francie Gaskin, Daryn Miller and Ashlyn Alte - one hit each
Reghan Steifle - two innings, one hit, no runs, one strikeout
Taylor Florea - two innings, four hits, two run, no walks, one strikeout
Caitlin Toole - three innings, win, two hits, no runs, no walks, two strikeouts
HOW THE GAME HAPPENED
After a quick first inning, Freeman led off the second inning with a bang. The junior sent a leadoff homer over the left field fence to give USCB the 1-0 advantage.
Warner left two runners on base in the bottom of the second but took its first lead of the game with a pair of runs in the third. The Royals used three hits, two singles and one double, to take the one-run lead, 2-1.
Neither offense was able to get it going in the fourth or fifth inning, but USCB was able to scratch across a run in the sixth. Devon Weller started the rally with a hit by pitch, and Alte followed with a single to center. Freeman walked, and Reynolds collected a sacrifice fly to tie the game at 2-2.
After gaining momentum, the Sand Sharks carried that to the seventh, as it retook the lead. Jaci Coleman started the inning with a walk, and Harlee Walker laid down a sacrifice fly to move her teammate into scoring position. After an out, Massenburg poked the ultimate game-winning RBI single up the middle, and Coleman hustled home just ahead of the throw. The run-scoring hit gave USCB the 3-2 advantage.
Toole faced just four batters in the bottom of the seventh, as she collected her fourth victory of the year in the 3-2 win.
RECORDS UPDATE
USCB - 12-9 overall, 3-0 Sun Conference
Warner - 9-12 overall, 0-3 Sun Conference
WHAT'S NEXT?
USCB will take three days of rest before returning to the diamond on Wednesday, March 16, as it concludes the road swing with a doubleheader date with Georgia Gwinnett. First pitch in Lawrenceville, Ga. is scheduled for 2 p.m.