BLUFFTON, SOUTH CAROLINA – The University of South Carolina Beaufort softball team opened a three-game series against Columbus State at home on Saturday afternoon, marking the start of Peach Belt Conference play. USCB took game one behind a complete-game shutout by Madison Murphy. The win was head coach Codee Yeske's 100th career victory!
Columbus State was able to split the doubleheader, winning game two after a four-run second inning gave them the lead.
Following the day's action, USCB is now 15-7 on the season with a 1-1 conference record, while Columbus State sits at 11-6 overall and 1-1 in conference play.
GAME ONE
In the first game of the day, the Sand Sharks were led offensively by Catharine Conway and Saria Simmons, who each recorded two hits. Tamiyah Whitlock drove in a run, while Simmons also had an RBI. Conway and Emma Brinkman scored the Sand Sharks' runs.
Madison Murphy pitched her seventh complete game of the season and sixth shutout of the year, finishing with a seven-inning, two-hit performance with three strikeouts.
Both teams had a runner reach in the first inning but were unable to score. In the top half of the inning, the Sand Shark defense turned a double play on a popup to Emma Reynolds followed by a throw to first.
The Sand Sharks were the first to score, breaking through in the third inning. Conway reached base and stole second before an RBI double by Simmons gave USCB a 1-0 lead through three innings of play.
USCB extended the lead in the fourth inning after loading the bases. Brinkman, Reynolds, and Conway reached before a bases-loaded walk to Whitlock pushed across the second run as Brinkman scored.
Murphy did not allow a hit through four innings of play. Columbus State recorded its only two hits in the fifth inning, but a second double play helped USCB escape the jam.
Murphy closed out the win with a perfect seventh inning, finishing the game with a groundout, sealing the 100th win for Codee Yeske.
GAME TWO
Catharine Conway again led the way with two hits and an RBI in game two, while Taelor Chang added the other Sand Shark RBI.
Columbus State got on the board first. After back-to-back strikeouts by Emily Morgan to start the game, a hit batter sparked the rally, and an RBI single pushed across the game's first run. On the same play, however, the Sand Sharks threw out the second run at the plate for the third out as Saria Simmons made the throw home.
USCB answered in the bottom half of the first inning as three straight singles loaded the bases before a fielder's choice drove in Tamiyah Whitlock to tie the game at 1-1.
The Cougars responded with a four-run second inning to take the lead back. A single through the left side following an error pushed across their second run of the game. A two-RBI double to right center extended the lead to 4-1 before a fielder's choice made it 5-1.
The Sand Sharks got one run back in the bottom of the second inning. Two straight singles to start the frame set up a Conway RBI single that scored Emma Brinkman to make it a 5-2 game.
The score remained 5-2 until the fourth inning when a triple was followed by a two-RBI home run to left field, giving Columbus State a 7-2 lead.
Columbus State added four more runs in the fifth inning to complete the 11-2 win. An RBI single followed by a two-RBI double pushed the game to the final score as the Cougars split the doubleheader with the Sand Sharks.
The third and final game of the series is scheduled for noon against the Cougars at Richard Gray Sports Complex, home of the Sand Sharks.
Stay tuned to uscbathletics.com and follow Sand Shark Athletics on social media for the latest news, updates, and information.
