TIGERVILLE, SOUTH CAROLINA – The University of South Carolina Beaufort softball team was on the road Saturday for a doubleheader against North Greenville. The Sand Sharks won both games to complete the sweep over the Trailblazers.
In game one, the Sand Sharks used two four-run innings to run-rule North Greenville, 8–0. In game two, after an early deficit, the Sand Sharks used two three-run innings and scored in six straight innings to earn an 11–9 victory.
Following the two wins, the Sand Sharks improved to 3–1 on the season, while North Greenville dropped to 2–2.
GAME ONE
The Sand Sharks were led by Chloe Turner with a game-high three RBIs, while Tamiyah Whitlock added two hits, a run scored, and two RBIs. Catharine Conway was tied for the team lead with two hits.
Madison Murphy picked up her first win of the season after throwing a complete-game, five-inning shutout while striking out six hitters.
In the opening inning, the Sand Sharks looked to strike early with a single and a stolen base by Whitlock, but North Greenville escaped without allowing a run.
USC Beaufort broke through in the top of the second inning. MJ Stradinger started the inning with a one-out single, followed by an RBI single from Caleigh Eubanks as Katelyn Boyette crossed the plate. Conway followed with an RBI single and a stolen base to give the Sand Sharks a 2–0 lead. Whitlock then delivered a two-RBI single to left-center field, extending the lead to 4–0.
North Greenville threatened in the bottom half of the inning, loading the bases with three of its five hits in the game, but Murphy worked out of the jam by striking out Price and pitching to a lineout to Boyette to maintain the four-run lead.
After a scoreless third inning, the Sand Sharks broke the game open in the fourth. Two singles and a stolen base set up runners at second and third before back-to-back walks, including an RBI walk by Saria Simmons to make it 5–0. One batter later, Turner delivered a three-RBI double, scoring Simmons, Whitlock, and Conway to push the lead to 8–0.
Murphy did not allow a hit over the final two innings and struck out two batters to close out the 8–0 run-rule victory in game one.
GAME TWO
The Sand Sharks were led by Emma Brinkman, who went 3-for-3 with three runs scored and three RBIs, all team highs. Whitlock also recorded three hits. Simmons, Emma Reynolds, and Boyette each drove in two runs.
Murphy earned her second win of the afternoon, throwing the final two innings and recording one strikeout.
North Greenville struck first in game two as the first two batters reached in the bottom of the first inning, setting up an RBI double by Whiteside for an early 1–0 Trailblazers lead. North Greenville added three more runs on a sacrifice fly, an error that allowed two runs to score, and an RBI single to take a 4–0 lead.
The Sand Sharks responded quickly. A single by Reynolds set up the first of two home runs by Brinkman, cutting the deficit to 4–2. After Eubanks reached base and stole second, Whitlock drove in a run with an RBI single as USC Beaufort scored three runs on three hits in the inning.
An inning later, the Sand Sharks took their first lead of the game. A hit-by-pitch and a single set up a two-RBI double by Reynolds to right-center field for a 5–4 lead. Later in the inning, Boyette added an RBI double to left-center, extending the lead to 6–4.
USC Beaufort continued to add on in the fourth inning, scoring for the third of six straight innings. Simmons delivered an RBI double to score Conway, then later crossed the plate on a sacrifice fly by Savannah Oberdorf to make it 8–4.
In an offensive battle, North Greenville rallied in the inning, scoring the first three runners on an RBI single and a two-run home run. The Trailblazers added two more runs to complete a five-run inning and take a 9–8 lead.
USCB tied the game in the fifth inning on a solo home run to left-center by Brinkman, making it 9–9. The Sand Sharks reclaimed the lead in the sixth on a sacrifice fly by Boyette that scored Oberdorf for a 10–9 advantage.
The Sand Sharks added an insurance run in the seventh inning after a Conway single and stolen base set the table. Simmons followed with a sacrifice fly to score Conway and give USC Beaufort an 11–9 lead.
Murphy sealed the victory with a perfect seventh inning, striking out one to earn her second win of the afternoon.
The Sand Sharks return home for their home opener on Friday, February 13th, at 1:00 p.m. against Erskine College in the first game of a doubleheader, with Carson-Newman in game two. USC Beaufort will also host the Lowcountry Classic on Friday and Saturday.
Stay tuned to uscbathletics.com and follow Sand Shark Athletics on social media for the latest news, updates, and information.
