GREENWOOD, S.C. - Despite a three-hit effort from Daryn Miller and a strong relief effort from Cierra Kinlaw, the USCB softball team nearly upset the No. 24 team in the country - Lenoir-Rhyne - 3-2 on the first day of the Bearcat/Fleet Invitational on Friday afternoon. 

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

Miller - 3-for-4, three singles, one run

Kinlaw - six innings, three runs, one walk, four strikeouts 

Mackenzie Freeman - 1-for-3, single, one RBI, one walk

Chloe Turner - 1-for-2, one RBI, one walk

HOW IT HAPPENED

The Sand Sharks found themselves in early trouble in the bottom of the first, as the first three batters reached without an out being record. Enter Kinlaw out of the bullpen, and she worked out of the jam without a run to score to keep the game level, 0-0.

The game quickly passed until the top of the fourth, when USCB sent up six batters in the frame and resulting in the game's first run. Devon Weller walked to lead off the contest, and she was pinch ran for by Taylor VanHouse. After a strikeout, VanHouse reached second on a wild pitch. Zinia Hampleton connected with a single to put runners at the corners. Following a strikeout and a Hampleton steal, Turner smacked a single to center to score VanHouse easily to take the 1-0 lead.

Unfortunately, the Bears tallied two runs off one swing of the bat in the bottom of the fourth to take their first lead of the game, 2-1. 

Moving to the top of the fifth, USCB had another long inning, which featured three hits and one run. Freeman tallied the game-tying hit with the bases loaded, which scored Miller. With the bases still loaded, the Bears were able to limit the damage and keep it tied, 2-2. 

After leaving two runners stranded in scoring position in the top of the sixth, Lenoir-Rhyne took advantage of a leadoff walk in the bottom of the sixth. Faith Carrigan poked a single to give LR its second lead, 3-2.

The nationally-ranked Bear team made quick work of the USCB team in the seventh to seal its eighth victory of the year. 

RECORDS UPDATE

USCB - 4-3 overall

No. 24 Lenoir-Rhyne - 8-0 overall

WHAT'S NEXT?

USCB will continue action at the Bearcat/Fleet Invitational on Saturday with a pair of games - Carson-Newman and Concord. The action kicks off at 9 a.m. at Lander with the second game being played at Erskine - starting at noon.