LAWRENCEVILLE, Ga. - Cierra Kinlaw and the Sand Sharks kept top seeded Georgia Gwinnett off the scoreboard until the sixth inning but the Grizzlies were resilient, pushing across two runs in the sixth and walking off USCB in the seventh taking the opening game 3-2 of the CAC Softball Championship Thursday afternoon in Lawrenceville. 

Meeting for the fifth time this season, USCB and Georgia Gwinnett were primed for a showdown. Although both teams had faced one another, the two starters, Kinlaw and Annalise Wood, never squared off. 

The Sand Sharks were paced offensively by Daryn Miller who had two hits and a stolen base. Jaci Coleman and Ashley Alta notched the RBI's for USCB while four others scattered hits. Kinlaw took the loss despite putting together a quality start over 6.1 innings, allowing three runs -all earned- on nine hits without walking a batter and striking out four.

USCB's first four hitters reached safely after four consecutive hits to open the game. Coleman put the Sand Sharks on top with an RBI single to left center and Alte walked with the bases loaded, putting USCB up 2-0 on the Grizzlies. 

Wood found her stride in the circle after the two-run first, allowing just three more hits, all of which were singles, as the Sand Sharks couldn't get the timely hit needed to extend the lead. 

Miller preserved the shutout in the fourth after laying out to make an inning ending catch. Kinlaw got the Grizzlies 1, 2, 3 in the fifth and the lefty got Josie Haulk to groundout to open the sixth before GGC collected back-to-back hits. A sacrifice fly and an infield single knotted the game at two. 

The Grizzlies worked a scoreless top of the seventh, but failed to get the leadoff batter on to open the bottom half of the frame. Enna Lackey singled and Sydney Palaez was hit by a pitch, putting the pressure on Kinlaw to record the final two outs. 

Lackey and Palaez took off on a double steal and it appeared that Amber Lacasto had made the tag at third to get the lead runner, but Lackey slid just past the bag and made it back safely just before USCB's shortstop put on the tag. 

After a quick meeting in the circle, Haulk stepped in and laid down a bunt to Alte at third; Lackey took off from third and just barely beat the tag from Addie Reynolds as the Grizzlies walked off with the 3-2 victory. 

The Sand Sharks will face off against the loser between No. 2 seed Florida Nation and No. 3 seed Crowley's Ridge tomorrow in the game four of the CAC Softball Championship. First pitch is schedule for 2:30 p.m.