HARDEEVILLE, SOUTH CAROLINA – The University of South Carolina Beaufort softball team faced Lander University to open a three-game series against the Bearcats. Lander used a five-run seventh inning to steal the lead and take a 9–7 win. A milestone was also reached Friday, as Madison Murphy recorded her 300th career strikeout with her second strikeout of the game.
USC Beaufort falls to 15-9 on the season with a 1-3 record in the Peach Belt Conference. Lander improves to 14-7 overall with a 4-0 conference record.
Ashley Grieser had a team-high three hits while driving in one run. Katelyn Boyette recorded a team-high two RBIs, while Catharine Conway and Tamiyah Whitlock each had two hits and scored two runs.
It was a fast start for the Sand Sharks on Friday as Murphy picked up her first strikeout in the opening inning before the offense struck. Conway started the inning with a single and a stolen base before the Sand Sharks loaded the bases after a third straight single by Saria Simmons. Boyette drove in the first two runs with a two-RBI single through the left side for an early 2-0 advantage. A third run scored on a Lander error as Simmons crossed the plate, before an RBI single by Grieser gave the Sand Sharks a 4-0 lead in the first inning.
In the top of the second inning, Lander got one run back on a solo home run, cutting the Sand Sharks' lead to 4-1. Later in the inning, Murphy recorded her second strikeout of the game and the 300th of her career.
USCB answered with a run in the bottom of the second inning. After Conway walked and stole second base, Tamiyah Whitlock hit a sacrifice fly later in the inning to score Conway and give the Sand Sharks a 5-1 lead.
The Bearcats answered in the third inning with a runner on third taking advantage of a Sand Sharks error, cutting the lead to 5-2. The Sand Sharks responded again in the bottom of the inning as Sydney Kibler drew a bases-loaded walk, pushing across Chloe Turner for a 6-2 lead.
Lander looked to answer again in the fourth inning, loading the bases, but a popup ended the threat as Murphy worked around the jam.
The visitors added two runs in the fifth inning as Reagen Hill delivered an RBI single before another run scored on an error, trimming the Sand Sharks' lead to 6-4.
The game stayed 6-4 into the bottom of the sixth inning when a fielder's choice by Taelor Chang pushed across the seventh run as Whitlock scored for a 7-4 lead.
A big seventh inning by Lander gave the Bearcats their first lead of the game. An RBI single scored the first run of the inning before a two-RBI double and a bases-loaded walk tied the game at 7-7. A single to left field then scored the final two runs of the game, giving Lander a 9-7 lead. The Sand Sharks had a baserunner in the seventh, sending the tying run to the plate, but a lineout ended the game as USCB dropped the opener 9-7.
USCB continues the series at home on Saturday against Lander with a doubleheader. First pitch of game one is scheduled for noon.
