SPARTANBURG, SOUTH CAROLINA – The University of South Carolina Beaufort softball team opened the 2026 season on Friday with a doubleheader as part of the Valkyrie Classic against Converse and King. In the opening game, the Sand Sharks used a seven-run third inning to take control before closing out a 14–2 run-rule victory over Converse in five innings. In game two of the afternoon, the Sand Sharks' comeback fell short in a 6–5 loss to King in a nine-inning extra-inning contest.

GAME ONE:

In the opening game of the season, Chloe Turner led the way with a four-hit performance, adding three runs scored and seven RBIs. Katelyn Boyette added three hits, an RBI, and a run scored. Tamiyah Whitlock scored three runs, while Taelor Chang drove in two runs.

Cassie Brundage earned her first win of the season, throwing a complete five innings while striking out three.

The Sand Sharks started the season strong with a run in the opening inning as Whitlock stole second to get into scoring position before an RBI single by Turner pushed USC Beaufort in front, 1–0. The Sand Sharks scored one run on two hits in the inning.

Converse looked to answer with back-to-back singles to start the inning, but Brundage recorded three straight outs, including her first strikeout of the game, to hold the lead. After a scoreless second inning, the Sand Sharks broke through in the third.

The Sand Sharks' first two hitters reached base on singles before Catharine Conway stole second and later scored USC Beaufort's second run. A walk to Saria Simmons put two runners on base, leading to a three-run home run to center field by Turner to clear the bases and give the Sand Sharks a 5–0 lead. The inning continued as Caleigh Eubanks drove in a run with an RBI sacrifice fly, scoring Emma Brinkman. Chang later delivered a pinch-hit, two-RBI single, scoring Emma Reynolds and Boyette. The Sand Sharks led 8–0 after a seven-run, eight-hit inning.

The Valkyries looked to answer with a leadoff double, but Brundage worked around the hit to keep Converse scoreless.

USC Beaufort's offense continued to roll in the fourth inning following a single and a hit batter, leading to a Boyette RBI single to right field that scored Turner. Savannah Oberdorf later scored the Sand Sharks' 10th run on a wild pitch, extending the lead to 10–0.

Converse was able to score two runs on a two-run home run, but the Sand Sharks maintained a 10–2 lead heading into the fifth inning.

USCB answered with a four-run inning as back-to-back walks and a single loaded the bases, leading to a three-RBI double by Turner to clear the bases and give her a seven-RBI game to start the season. Reynolds later drove in the final run of the game to make it 14–2 before Brundage closed out the complete-game run-rule win in five innings.

GAME TWO:

The Sand Sharks were led offensively by three players recording two hits each: Catharine Conway, Chloe Turner, and Katelyn Boyette. Boyette added a run scored and an RBI, while Emma Reynolds posted a team-high two RBIs.

Madison Murphy struck out seven batters over eight innings of work before Emily Morgan pitched the final three outs.

The second game of the day was a pitcher's duel until the final inning. Murphy got the start for the Sand Sharks and struck out seven. The game remained scoreless through two innings, with each team recording a hit in the second inning, but both pitchers worked around trouble.

The scoreless game continued into the seventh inning when King struck first with an RBI sacrifice fly after a hit batter and a single set up runners on first and third for the 1–0 lead. Murphy worked around further damage.

In the bottom of the inning, two singles set up a Reynolds RBI single up the middle, scoring Allie McCleer to tie the game at 1–1 and send it into extra innings.

After a low-scoring game to that point, both teams broke through in the ninth inning. King struck first with a five-run top of the ninth. The inning began with a walk, followed by another base runner before a double to left-center scored two runs for a 3–1 lead. Two batters later, a three-run home run cleared the bases and pushed the Sand Sharks' deficit to 6–1.

USCB looked to mount a comeback in the bottom of the ninth, starting with a single before a Boyette single to left-center scored the inning's first run. Oberdorf later scored to cut the deficit to 6–3. The final two runs came on a MJ Stradinger RBI sacrifice fly to right field, scoring Boyette, followed by Reynolds scoring on a throwing error.

With the Sand Sharks trailing 6–5, a single later in the inning put runners on first and second, but two final outs closed out the game as King held on for the win.

The Sand Sharks return to action on Saturday, February 7, with a doubleheader on the road against North Greenville University beginning at 1:00 p.m.

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