LAWRENCEVILLE, Ga. - Behind a two-run bomb and pitching for the second time in a Sand Shark uniform (picked up the win), Mackenzie Freeman truly did it all at the Grizzly Softball Complex, as the USCB softball team split with No. 15 Georgia Gwinnett, 7-2 and 8-5, on Tuesday afternoon.

INSIDE THE GAME ONE BOX SCORE

Alyssa Smith - 2-for-3, two singles, one RBI

Francie Gaskin - 1-for-4, single, one RBI

Devon Weller and Addie Reynolds - one single each

Jaci Coleman - one run, one walk

Reghan Steifle - 4.2 innings, eight hits, four earned runs

Caitlin Toole - 1.1 innings, no runs, no hits, no walks

HOW GAME ONE HAPPENED

USCB started off quickly and nearly put up a crooked number in the first inning. However, they settled for one run in the frame. Coleman led off the contest with a walk, and Weller and Gaskin followed with singles of their own. The next two batters struck out and popped out, but Smith came up clutch with a run-scoring hit down the left field line. The Sand Sharks tried to sneak across a second run on the hit, but Weller was nabbed out at home.

The Grizzlies took their first lead of the game thanks to two runs in the first and two in the second. 

After a scoreless third inning, USCB nearly pulled back into the contest in the fourth. Reynolds and Smith connected back-to-back singles to start the rally. They both advanced into scoring position on a fly out, but that was as far as they would get in the 4-1 game. 

GGC tacked on a single run in the home half of the fourth via a homer, and USCB retaliated in the top of the fifth with a run of its own. Gaskin collected the RBI via a ground out to pull within three, 5-2.

Georgia Gwinnett added on two more runs in the bottom of the fifth, and that was enough for the Grizzlies, as they held the Sand Sharks off the scoreboard for the next two frames and sealed the 7-2 victory. 

INSIDE THE GAME TWO BOX SCORE

Freeman - 1-for-4, two-run home run, win, 1.1 innings, one hit allowed, one strikeout

Taylor Florea - four innings, three runs, no walks, one strikeout

Libby Carey - 0.2 innings, one hit, no runs, no walks

Toole - save, one inning, no runs, no hits, no walks, one strikeout

Jazmin Ramirez - 1-for-2, double, two RBIs, two runs

Smith and Reynolds - two singles and one run each

Gaskin and Daryn Miller - one single, one RBI and one run each

Ashlyn Alte - 1-for-2, single, one run, two walks

Weller - 1-for-4, single, one RBI

HOW GAME TWO HAPPENED

After two scoreless innings to start game two of the doubleheader, USCB came out red hot in the third to take the 3-0 lead. Ramirez walked to start the rally, and she moved to second on a Coleman sac bunt. After a ground out to move her to third, Gaskin roped a single to center to give the Sand Sharks the lead. Freeman followed with a homer, which just cleared the wall in left. However, the two-run blast gave the Sand Sharks the 3-0 advantage.

After leaving one runner on base in the third, Georgia Gwinnett plated two runs in the fourth - all with two outs. 

Moving to the fifth and tied at 3-3, Freeman made her first career appearance in a USCB uniform in the circle. The junior made the inning look easy, as she faced just four batters and even struck out one Grizzly. 

To back her longest outing in the circle, USCB's offense caught fire again in the top of the sixth. Alte, Smith and Reynolds forced the bases loaded with one out, and Miller made it hurt with a bloop, run-scoring single to center. Ramirez placed a two RBI double down the right field line to make it a three-run advantage. Carrying the momentum, Coleman and Weller earned RBI fielder's choices to push it to a five-run lead, 8-3.

GGC plated two more runs in the home half of the sixth to make it an 8-5 contest, but Toole, making her second appearance of the day, cruised through the nationally-ranked lineup by going 1-2-3 and earning her first save of the season. 

RECORDS UPDATE

USCB - 20-26 overall

No. 15 Georgia Gwinnett - 32-18 overall

WHAT'S NEXT?

The Sand Sharks will wrap up their regular season with a key Sun Conference set with Keiser. The series begins with a doubleheader on April 29 starting at 3 p.m. Saturday's single game will be nine innings and after the contest, USCB will honor its three graduating seniors.