HARDEEVILLE, S.C. - In a doubleheader that featured five Sand Shark home runs, the USCB softball team dropped game one, 12-3, before forcing a seventh-inning rally in game two. However, the Sand Sharks eventually fell to Columbus State, 10-9, on Saturday afternoon at Cougar Field. 

INSIDE THE GAME ONE BOX SCORE

Mackenzie Freeman - 2-for-2, homer, three RBIs

Ashlyn Alte and Harlee Walker - one single each

HOW GAME ONE HAPPENED

USCB started the game off hot, and it came off one swing of the bat - Freeman's bat. The senior cracked a two-out, three-run blast to right to give USCB the 3-0 lead early.

However, Columbus State rattled off 12 unanswered runs from the first to fourth innings to claim the run-rule win, 12-3. 

The Sand Sharks had some momentum down four runs in the fourth, as Walker and Freeman reached base to start the inning. However, CSU posted three strikeouts to escape out of the jam. 

INSIDE THE GAME TWO BOX SCORE

Addie Reynolds - 3-for-4, two home runs, three runs

Alte - 2-for-3, two homers, three RBIs, two walks

Tamiyah Whitlock - 3-for-5, three singles, two runs

Cierra Kinlaw - five innings, five hits, four runs, seven strikeouts

HOW GAME TWO HAPPENED

USCB jumped out to a two-run lead after an inning-and-a-half by plating solo runs in the first and second innings. Jazmin Ramirez earned a RBI off a bases-loaded walk in the first, while Jaci Coleman tallied an RBI off a bases-loaded hit by pitch.

CSU put up a crooked, six-run inning in the second to take the four-run lead.

After a scoreless third frame, USCB pulled within two when Alte cranked a two-run blast in the fourth. 

The Cougars answered in the home half of the fourth with two solo homers to double-up USCB, 8-4. 

The home run derby continued into the fifth when Reynolds collected a solo blast to pull within three, 8-5. However, CSU answered with a bases-loaded walk to go ahead by four again, 9-5.

After allowing another CSU run in the sixth, USCB's offense went to work in the seventh. Reynolds started the rally with a leadoff homer, and then after an out, a single and an error, USCB made it a three-run game on a RBI groundout from Coleman. A wild pitch occurred to plate Whitlock to pull within two, and Alte made it tense with a solo homer with two outs to make the contest 10-9. Freeman battled in the final at-bat, but she eventually went down swinging in the narrow one-run loss. 

RECORDS UPDATE

USCB - 11-35 overall, 3-20 Peach Belt

Columbus State - 35-12 overall, 20-3 Peach Belt

WHAT'S NEXT?

USCB and Columbus State conclude the three-game series on Sunday at noon.