HARDEEVILLE, SOUTH CAROLINA — The University of South Carolina Beaufort baseball team closed out its three-game series with University of North Georgia on Sunday afternoon. The Nighthawks used a fast start to take an early lead before completing the 15–5 victory over the Sand Sharks.
USCB falls to 4–20 on the season with a 0–15 conference record. North Georgia improves to 23–5 overall with a 14–1 conference mark.
In the game, the Sand Sharks were led at the plate by four players who each recorded two hits: Cooper McDaniel, Luke Doty, Andrew Walters, and Maddox Robinson. McDaniel, Doty, Walters, and Noah Campbell each drove in a run. On the mound, Asher Western, Carson Tillotson, and Jake Rice combined for 2.2 innings of relief without allowing an earned run.
North Georgia struck first with a walk and a stolen base to start the rally before back-to-back RBI doubles pushed across two runs and gave the Nighthawks an early 2–0 lead. The Sand Sharks looked to answer in the bottom of the inning with two hits, but a double play helped North Georgia maintain the advantage.
In the second inning, the visitors added to their lead when a leadoff single was followed by a two-run home run to left field, making it 4–0. After a walk and a single put another runner in scoring position, an RBI double down the left-field line extended the UNG lead to 5–0.
Both teams scored in the third inning. North Georgia opened the frame with a single and a double before a sacrifice fly made it 6–0. An RBI single up the middle and another RBI single extended the Nighthawks' lead to 8–0.
USCB answered in the bottom of the third by plating four runs. It began when Tyler Gundelfinger reached base safely and later scored on a North Georgia error for the Sand Sharks' first run. Doty followed with an RBI single to score Campbell. Walters then added an RBI bunt single as McDaniel crossed the plate. Doty later scored on a wild pitch as the Sand Sharks cut the deficit to 8–4.
The score remained 8–4 until the sixth inning when both teams crossed the plate. North Georgia scored first with a bases-loaded walk before an RBI sacrifice fly pushed the lead to 10–4.
The Sand Sharks put their first two runners on base and later loaded the bases before McDaniel drove in Robinson, cutting the deficit to 10–5. North Georgia responded in the seventh inning with a solo home run.
The Nighthawks added four more runs in the eighth inning after loading the bases. A bases-clearing three-RBI double to left-center field pushed the score to 14–5 before an RBI single to right field made it 15–5.
North Georgia closed out the 15–5 victory to complete the series sweep on Sunday.
The Sand Sharks return home Wednesday afternoon for a 3:00 p.m. game at the Richard Gray Sports Complex following a road matchup Tuesday against Erskine College.
