HARDEEVILLE, S.C. - Highlighting the 14-run game for USCB baseball was a three-run homer in the eighth inning from Leandy Castro. The homer tied the USCB career home run record, 22, in the 13-4 win over Thomas on Friday night at Richard Gray Stadium.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

Castro - tied career home run record, 3-for-5, three-run homer, two singles, four RBIs, three runs

Hunter McKown - 2-for-3, double, single, two RBI, three runs

Kyran Russ - 1-for-3, solo home run

Brian Meyer - 2-for-4, two singles, two RBIs, one run

Nikko Andre - 2-for-3, two singles

Wesley Ambrose - 1-for-3, single, one RBI, one run

Clint Sellars - three walks, two runs

Brandon Blume - eight innings, win, three earned runs, one walk, five strikeouts

Cam Mathis - one inning, no runs, no hits, no walks

HOW IT HAPPENED

After a scoreless first inning, the two ball clubs exchanged runs in the second. Luis Torres came up with the RBI for Thomas, while Russ smashed a no-doubter to left field. 

Tied 1-1, USCB's offense went on a tear for the next four innings, as it scored at least one run in that four-inning stretch. 

USCB plated four in the third inning to take the 5-1 advantage. Castro and Meyer collected RBI singles in the inning, while John Leland scored on a wild pitch and Ambrose scored Meyer on a sac fly.

After scoring a solo run in the fourth via a passed ball, the Sand Sharks plated two more runs in the fifth to take the commanding seven-run lead, 8-1. Brock Thibodeaux scored Ambrose on a groundout, and McKown struck a RBI double down the right field line for USCB. 

To conclude the eight unanswered stretch, USCB tallied a run in the sixth off a run-scoring groundout from Nick Milhan.

Up 9-1, the Night Hawks made the contest interesting, as they plated three runs in the top of the seventh to pull within five, 9-4. 

The Sand Sharks didn't let that bother them though, as they continued their offensive dominance in the home half of the seventh. USCB tallied four runs in the inning, which was highlighted by a three-run blast from Castro. The three-run bomb also made history for the Sand Shark, as it was his 22nd career homer. With the blast, it tied the USCB career home run record with Bobby Wenthe.

USCB and Thomas combined for four hits in the eighth inning, but neither team plated runs to keep the game at 13-4.

Mathis was the first reliever for the Sand Sharks, and he had no problem with the Night Hawk lineup, as the senior went 1-2-3 to seal the nine-run win.

TEAM RECORD UPDATES

USCB - 22-21 overall, 9-10 Sun Conference

Thomas - 16-25 overall, 0-16 Sun Conference

WHAT'S NEXT?

The Sand Sharks and Night Hawks will conclude the three-game series on Saturday, April 16 at Richard Gray Stadium. The day will also serve as Senior Day, as USCB will recognize 12 graduating players in between the double header in Hardeeville.