AMERICUS, GEORGIA – The University of South Carolina Beaufort baseball team closed out its opening three-game conference series of the season with a doubleheader against Georgia Southwestern State. The Hurricanes won Game One, 7-5, before securing a 6-1 victory in Game Two to sweep Saturday's action.
The Sand Sharks fall to 3-5 on the season following the two losses on Saturday afternoon.
GAME ONE:
The Sand Sharks were led offensively by Luke Doty and Cooper McDaniel, who each recorded two hits and two RBIs. Kris Levensteins added two hits and an RBI.
Georgia Southwestern struck first with a run in the bottom of the first inning, as two one-out walks later came around to score on an RBI sacrifice fly for an early 1-0 lead. The Hurricanes added another run in the second inning after a two-out walk put runners on the corners before a wild pitch allowed a run to score, making it 2-0.
USCB answered in the third inning. Tanner Wagnon led off with a single and later scored on a throwing error with two runners on base, tying the game at 2-2. With a runner in scoring position, McDaniel delivered an RBI single through the left side to give the Sand Sharks a 3-2 advantage.
The Hurricanes responded in the bottom half of the inning. A single and a stolen base set the stage for a two-RBI single to right field, putting Georgia Southwestern back in front, 4-3.
USCB tied the game again in the fourth inning when Levensteins hit a solo home run to make it 4-4. Raeder McIntire later singled and came around to score on an RBI single by McDaniel, giving the Sand Sharks a 5-4 lead.
USC Beaufort held the 5-4 lead into the eighth inning when the Hurricanes rallied. Two leadoff singles and a walk loaded the bases, and a three-RBI, bases-clearing double gave Georgia Southwestern a 7-5 lead.
In the top of the ninth, the Sand Sharks put a runner on base, but the Hurricanes closed out the win with a double play followed by a groundout.
GAME TWO:
The Sand Sharks were led in hits by Cooper McDaniel, Jon Davis, and Mack Cromer, who each recorded one hit. Kris Levensteins drove in the lone Sand Shark run.
Brandt Phillips pitched four innings, allowing one unearned run while striking out two in a no-decision.
The game opened as a pitcher's duel, with neither team scoring in the first three innings until the Sand Sharks broke through. McDaniel singled to left field and later scored three batters later on a Levensteins sacrifice fly to right field, giving USCB a 1-0 lead.
Georgia Southwestern answered in the bottom of the fourth. Two walks and an error put runners on first and second before a double down the right-field line tied the game at 1-1. The Sand Sharks worked out of a bases-loaded jam to prevent further damage.
In the fifth inning, the Hurricanes drew three consecutive walks to load the bases before a fielder's choice and an error made it 3-1. Georgia Southwestern added another run in the seventh on an RBI single through the right side to extend the lead to 4-1.
The Hurricanes added two more runs in the eighth, scoring on an RBI single following a leadoff double and a sacrifice fly to push the advantage to 6-1.
Georgia Southwestern closed out the 6-1 victory on Saturday.
USCB returns to action on Friday, February 20, when the Sand Sharks host their first home conference series of the season with a three-game set against Augusta.
Stay tuned to uscbathletics.com and follow Sand Shark Athletics on social media for the latest news, updates, and information.
