HARDEEVILLE -- USCB saw its five-run lead slip away as Columbus State answered with 10 runs over the final five innings, taking the series opener Friday night to a score of 13-8.
Beaufort wasted no time showcasing their offensive prowess, collecting 11 hits and plating eight runs on the night. Noah Campbell led the charge with a two-hit, three-RBI performance, while Jon Davis contributed three hits and drove in two runs. Carson Weathers added a pair of RBIs, and Sebastian Biggs chipped in with two hits of his own.
After Columbus State struck first with a run in the top of the first inning and added two more in the second, USCB responded in emphatic fashion in the bottom half of the frame. The Sand Sharks erupted for five runs, sparked by a series of clutch hits. Nikko Andre delivered an RBI single to put USCB on the board, followed by a two-run single from Weathers. Campbell kept the rally going with a run-scoring hit, giving the Sand Sharks a 5-3 advantage.
The offense stayed hot in the fourth, as USCB tacked on three more runs. Campbell delivered again with another RBI knock, and Davis followed with a two-run double, extending the lead to 8-3.
The Cougars began their rally in the fifth, scoring three runs to cut the deficit to 8-6. USCB starter Joe Turner battled through the early innings but began to waver, as Columbus State found their rhythm at the plate.
In the seventh, the momentum fully shifted. USCB reliever Ty Siksta (0-3) initially looked dominant, striking out the side in order in the sixth, but he struggled in his next frame, allowing three runs that gave Columbus State a 9-8 lead.
The Cougars didn't stop there, adding a solo run in the eighth and putting the game away with a three-run ninth inning.
The series continues tomorrow with a 2 p.m. scheduled first pitch in Hardeeville.
