ST. AUGUSTINE  -- In a game dominated by pitching, the USCB baseball team suffered a crushing 2-1 walk-off loss to Flagler College on Saturday, as Saints slugger Eli Maddox delivered a devastating two-run home run in the bottom of the ninth to snatch the series win from the Sand Sharks.

It was a pitchers' duel from the opening pitch, with USCB starter Joe Turner putting together a masterful performance. The right-hander was electric over eight shutout innings, allowing just three hits while striking out two. Turner kept the Flagler bats quiet all afternoon, expertly navigating the limited traffic and never allowing the Saints to gain any momentum.

The Sand Sharks finally broke through in the third inning, capitalizing on a Flagler miscue. Luke Doty reached base and later came around to score on a wild pitch to give USCB the 1-0 lead. That lone run held up for much of the afternoon as Turner continued to cruise on the mound.

USCB looked poised to tack on crucial insurance runs in the sixth when Noah Campbell and Cooper McDaniel each notched base hits, putting runners in scoring position. But a pair of quick outs ended the threat, and the narrow one-run lead remained.

Matt Navarro took over in the ninth to try and close the door, but after a one-out double from Caden Kresak, the Saints flipped the script. With the game on the line, Eli Maddox stepped into the box and hit a two-run homer to left, sending the Flagler home with a win delivering a heartbreaking blow to the Sand Sharks.

Campbell and McDaniel led the way offensively for USCB, each tallying a pair of hits, but the team couldn't convert its opportunities into enough run support for its dominant starter.

With the loss, the Sand Sharks will look to regroup quickly as the series wraps up Saturday at 1 p.m.