HARDEEVILLE, SOUTH CAROLINA — The University of South Carolina Beaufort softball team hosted the Middle Georgia State Knights on Saturday afternoon for a doubleheader to open a three-game series. The Sand Sharks swept the twin bill, winning Game One 4–1 after jumping out to an early 2–0 lead and holding it throughout. In Game Two, USCB secured the series with a 4–3 victory, answering a late Knights rally with one of their own for the win.
With the sweep, USCB improves to 25–16 overall and 7–10 in conference play, while Middle Georgia falls to 5–12 in conference action.
GAME ONE
In the series opener, the Sand Sharks were led by Emma Reynolds, who recorded a team-high two RBIs and one hit. Catharine Conway, Tamiyah Whitlock, Katelyn Boyette, and Emma Brinkman each collected two hits.
Madison Murphy earned her 13th win of the season, pitching a complete game and striking out five.
The Knights threatened early, loading the bases in the first inning, but Murphy worked out of the jam with a strikeout and a lineout to keep the game scoreless. After a quiet second inning, USCB broke through in the bottom half.
Chloe Turner led off with a double, followed by a single from Boyette to put runners on the corners. Brinkman delivered an RBI single to right field to score Turner for a 1–0 lead. Reynolds then added a sacrifice fly to bring in Boyette, extending the lead to 2–0.
The Sand Sharks added to their advantage in the fourth inning. With two outs, Brinkman doubled to keep the inning alive, and Reynolds followed with an RBI double to make it 3–0.
Middle Georgia got on the board in the fifth inning with a sacrifice fly after putting runners on the corners, cutting the deficit to 3–1.
USCB answered in the sixth. A leadoff single and an error put Boyette in scoring position, and Caleigh Eubanks drove her in with an RBI single up the middle to restore a three-run lead.
Murphy closed out the 4–1 victory with a clean seventh inning, securing the win.
GAME TWO
In Game Two, Catharine Conway, Tamiyah Whitlock, Saria Simmons, and Taelor Chang accounted for USCB's four runs. Chang and Chloe Turner each recorded an RBI.
Kiley Fisher started in the circle for the Sand Sharks, while Cassie Brundage earned the win in relief, pitching the final 2.2 innings with three strikeouts.
USCB carried momentum from Game One into a fast start, scoring three runs in the first inning. With runners on second and third and no outs, Chang delivered an RBI single to score Conway for a 1–0 lead. A double steal brought Whitlock home, and Turner added an RBI single to give the Sand Sharks a 3–0 advantage.
Middle Georgia responded in the second inning, scoring on a wild pitch after back-to-back singles to make it 3–1.
The Knights tied the game in the fifth inning. A leadoff walk and stolen base set up an RBI single to cut the lead to 3–2, and a sacrifice fly evened the score at 3–3.
The game remained tied until the bottom of the sixth, when Simmons led off with a walk and advanced on a stolen base. She later scored on a throwing error to give USCB a 4–3 lead.
Brundage closed out the game, allowing just one single before recording a groundout and a flyout to seal the victory and complete the doubleheader sweep.
The series will conclude Sunday afternoon, with first pitch scheduled for 1:00 p.m. at Richard Gray Sports Complex.
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