NEWBERRY, SOUTH CAROLINA – The University of South Carolina Beaufort softball team was on the road for a Friday afternoon doubleheader against Newberry College. The Wolves came back to win Game One, 4-3, and completed the sweep with a 10-9 extra-inning victory over the Sand Sharks.
USCB had its six-game winning streak snapped and is now 12-6 on the season.
GAME ONE
Newberry and USCB battled through a pitcher's duel in Game One after five scoreless innings to start the game. The Sand Sharks were led offensively by Taelor Chang, Katelyn Boyette, and Emma Brinkman, who each recorded an RBI. Tamiyah Whitlock and Chloe Turner each had two hits in the game.
Whitlock singled in the opening inning, and Newberry recorded a one-out double, but both teams worked around early baserunners to keep the game tied 0-0.
In the second inning, Newberry put a runner in scoring position for the second straight inning, but Madison Murphy worked out of the jam.
USCB had its first runner reach scoring position when Saria Simmons tripled with two outs, but Newberry worked around the threat, and the game remained scoreless.
The game stayed 0-0 into the top of the sixth inning when the Sand Sharks struck first. Whitlock and Turner opened the inning with back-to-back singles to put runners on first and second. Chang followed with an RBI single to give USCB a 1-0 lead. Boyette added the team's fourth straight single to make it 2-0. Brinkman capped the inning with an RBI, scoring Chang for a 3-0 advantage.
Newberry looked to respond by loading the bases in the bottom of the sixth, but Murphy recorded a strikeout to end the inning and hold the 3-0 lead.
After a scoreless top of the seventh, Newberry's offense came alive in the bottom half. Back-to-back singles started the rally, followed by an RBI single by Clark to put Newberry on the board. A sacrifice fly cut the Sand Sharks' lead to 3-2. Another RBI single tied the game before the go-ahead run scored on an error, completing the comeback.
Newberry claimed Game One by a final score of 4-3.
GAME TWO
The Sand Sharks struck first in the top of the first inning. Two singles and two stolen bases put runners on second and third before Chloe Turner hit a sacrifice fly to score Saria Simmons for a 1-0 lead. Chang followed with an RBI single through the left side, scoring Whitlock to make it 2-0.
Newberry answered in the bottom of the inning. After a double put runners on second and third, three straight RBI singles gave Newberry a 3-2 lead. Two additional RBI singles extended the advantage to 5-2, and the deficit grew to 8-2 by the end of the inning.
USCB responded in the top of the second. The first two batters reached base before Whitlock delivered an RBI single. Turner followed with a two-RBI double, scoring Simmons and Allie McCleer to cut the deficit to 8-5. Chang later added a sacrifice fly to score Whitlock, bringing the Sand Sharks within 8-6 after two innings.
Newberry added to its lead in the third inning with an RBI single following a leadoff walk, pushing the score to 9-6.
USCB chipped away in the sixth inning as Chang and Boyette recorded back-to-back singles. Ashley Grieser added an RBI single to trim the deficit to 9-7.
Later in the seventh, the Sand Sharks rallied to tie the game. Simmons and Alexander opened with consecutive singles, and Whitlock reached on a single to load the bases. Turner delivered a two-RBI double to right-center field, scoring Simmons and Avery Alexander to tie the game at 9-9. After a scoreless bottom of the seventh, the game went to extra innings.
Neither team scored in the eighth inning. In the top of the ninth, the Sand Sharks loaded the bases, but Newberry worked out of the jam.
In the bottom of the ninth, Newberry drew a leadoff walk before an RBI single brought home the winning run for a 10-9 victory.
USCB Softball returns to action Tuesday afternoon March 3rd, with a road doubleheader at Edward Waters.
