MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. - Behind Devon Weller's game-winning home run in game one of the doubleheader, the USCB softball team split with St. Thomas on Friday, 2-1 and 9-2, at The Colonel. 

INSIDE THE GAME ONE BOX SCORE

Sierra Bilinski - 3.2 innings, one run, seven hits, three walks

Libby Carey - win, 3.1 innings, no runs, one hit, no walks, one strikeout

Weller - 2-for-3, solo home run, single, walk

Jaci Coleman - 1-for-4, single, one RBI

Daryn Miller - 1-for-3, triple, one run

Ashlyn Alte - 1-for-2, single, one walk

HOW GAME ONE HAPPENED

STU opened the scoring in the bottom of the first when Gabriella Gilbert touched home on Daniela Bautista's single. 

After leaving three Bobcats on the base in the bottom of the second, USCB knotted the game at 1-1 in the top of the third. Miller cracked a triple to right center, and one batter later, Coleman dropped a single down the left field line to tie the game. 

St. Thomas kept putting runners on base in the third, fourth and fifth innings, as it combined for  three runners left on base. However, between Bilinski and Carey, the two Sand Sharks didn't allow a Bobcat to touch home in that three-inning span.

In the top of the sixth, the game changed instantly when Weller crushed a leadoff, solo home run. Her blast was her third of the year and first in Sun Conference play. USCB nearly tacked on more runs, as Alte and Mackenzie Freeman both moved into scoring position, but the final out was recorded before they could add to the 2-1 lead. 

USCB left a pair of runners on base in the top of the seventh. 

Carey looked to carry her momentum in the circle, and she did that in the bottom of the seventh with a very quick 1-2-3 inning to collect her third win of the year. 

INSIDE THE GAME TWO BOX SCORE

Coleman - 2-for-4, one RBI, one run

Alyssa Smith - 2-for-3, two singles

Weller - 2-for-4, one double, one single

Harlee Walker - 2-for-3, two singles

Francie Gaskin - 1-for-3, double, one run

Reghan Steifle - two innings, three earned runs, four hits, one walk, one strikeout

Carey - 0.2 innings, no runs, no hits, two walks

HOW GAME TWO HAPPENED

Opposite of game one, USCB started the scoring, as it plated a solo run in the top of the first. Coleman reached base on an error by the STU third baseman. Smith collected a bunt single, and Weller moved her teammates up 60 feet on a single to right to have ducks on the pond. Alte capitalized with a sacrifice fly to score Coleman from third to make the game 1-0.

The lead quickly disappeared, unfortunately, in the home half of the first when the Bobcats scored a pair of runs. A double and a single for STU gave it the one-run lead, 2-1.

The Sand Sharks didn't surrender, as they tied the game up at 2-2. Gaskin crushed a double to center, and Walker was able to advance her teammate on a single to left. After a fly out, Coleman singled through the right side to score Gaskin easily and tie the contest. 

For the next four frames, St. Thomas posted seven unanswered runs to take the seven-run lead, 9-2. 

Down to their last three outs, USCB put up a fight by putting two runners on base - Walker and Coleman (both singles) - but the Sand Sharks left both players in scoring position in the 9-2 loss. 

RECORDS UPDATE

USCB - 17-15 overall, 8-6 Sun Conference

St. Thomas - 12-17 overall, 4-10 Sun Conference

WHAT'S NEXT?

The rubber match of the three-game set between USCB and St. Thomas is scheduled for noon on Saturday, April 2.