HARDEEVILLE, S.C. - The USCB softball battled with former Sun Conference rival Coastal Georgia on Wednesday afternoon and put its undefeated home record to the test. However, the Mariners bested the Sand Sharks in two low-scoring affairs, 2-1 and 3-1, to claim a mid-week sweep at Richard Gray Stadium. 

INSIDE THE GAME ONE BOX SCORE

Addie Reynolds - 3-for-3, three singles

Taylor VanHouse - 2-for-3, two singles, one run

Reghan Steifle - seven innings, two runs, one walk, four strikeouts

HOW GAME ONE HAPPENED

The first two innings flew by for both squads, but in the top of the third, Coastal Georgia's Mallory Peacock connected with a solo homer to give CCG the 1-0 lead.

The Sand Sharks didn't find any momentum until the fifth inning with a Reynolds' leadoff single, but one Sand Shark was left stranded in the frame.

The Mariners plated a solo run in the top of the sixth to double the lead, 2-0.

Then in the bottom of the sixth, USCB utilized wild pitches and an errant throw to allow VanHouse to score following her infield single.

Down just one run, USCB mounted a big comeback effort in the bottom of the seventh, but it fell just short. Reynolds, Alte and Alyssa Smith all reached base with one out, but all three Sand Sharks were left on base in the one-run loss, 2-1. 

INSIDE THE GAME TWO BOX SCORE

Cierra Kinlaw - 5.2 innings, six hits, no runs, no walks, three strikeouts

Mackenzie Freeman - 1-for-3, double, one RBI

Jazmin Ramirez - 1-for-3, double

Taelor Chang - 1-for-3, single, one run

HOW GAME TWO HAPPENED

After both teams combined for three runners left on base in the first, Coastal Georgia pushed across a trio of runs with two-out hits to take the 3-0 lead.

The Sand Shark offense finally started to find some momentum in the home-half of the fourth. Chang reached on a fielder's choice, and she moved to second on a wild pitch. Freeman cracked a double off the left-center wall to plate Chang. Freeman advanced another 60 feet via a wild pitch, but that was all she would get, as USCB trailed by two, 3-1.

USCB's offense struggled to find any other momentum on the offensive side, as it fell in the nightcap - 3-1. 

RECORDS UPDATE

USCB - 5-9 overall

Coastal Georgia - 9-4 overall

WHAT'S NEXT?

The Sand Sharks will bounce back into Peach Belt Conference action with a three-game road series at Lander. The Sand Sharks and Bearcats commence the series on Friday, March 3 at 4 p.m. in Greenwood, S.C.