LAWRENCEVILLE, Ga - USCB only needed one more win to pull off a magical comeback after dropping the opening game of the CAC Softball Championship, but following a thrilling extra inning victory in game one over the Grizzlies on Championship Saturday, the Sand Sharks fell in the final game of the CAC Softball Championship to host Georgia Gwinnett, 6-1 in Lawrenceville.
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Caitlin Toole toed the rubber in the finale, pitching a shutout until the decisive fifth inning. The senior righty worked four and two thirds in the circle, allowing three runs on five hits while striking out two. Â
Offensively,
Ashlyn Alte led the way for the Sand Sharks, racking up two hits.
Mackenzie Freeman had the lone RBI and three others collected base hits.
The two squads matched one another pitch-for-pitch through the first three innings with both pitching staffs putting up zeroes. The Sand Sharks had a number of opportunities in those first three innings, leaving a total of six runners on base but couldn't find the timely hit.
Madison Rogers broke the scoreless tie in the fifth with a leadoff homer off of Toole. The Grizzlies tried running on
Tamiyah Whitlock but the left fielder gunned down the potential second run with a beautiful throw from left.Â
Lindzie Owen singled and Josie Haulk tried to score and was awarded home plate after the home plate umpire called
Addie Reynolds for obstruction. GGC pushed across one more run to go up 3-0 after four and a half innings.Â
USCB broke through in the fifth after Freeman sent a rocket to short to score
Daryn Miller. The Sand Sharks hit Grizzlies starter Alexa Good hard in the frame, but the right-hander snagged a sharp liner off the bat of
Taelor Chang.Â
Georgia Gwinnett tacked on two more runs the following inning and a solo run in the seventh to make it a 6-1 ball game.
The Sand Sharks were shut down 1, 2, 3 in the seventh as the Grizzlies claimed its sixth straight CAC Softball Championship.Â
USCB will await the announcement on where it'll play in the NAIA Opening Round. Stay tuned to USCB Athletics online and social media for further updates.
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