DAHLONEGA, GEORGIA: The University of South Carolina Beaufort softball team opened a three-game series on the road against the No. 3-ranked North Georgia Nighthawks on Friday afternoon. The two teams split a doubleheader.
The Sand Sharks took game one in a pitcher's duel, 3–1, behind a complete game from Madison Murphy. The Nighthawks claimed game two to even the series, jumping out to a 3–0 lead before closing out an 11–5 win.
The Sand Sharks are now 21–15 on the season with a 4–9 conference record following the split.
GAME ONE:
The Sand Sharks were led by Madison Murphy, who pitched six no-hit innings before allowing a hit in the seventh. She completed the game, earning her 12th win of the season.
Offensively, Taelor Chang led the way with a game-high two hits. Catharine Conway, Emma Brinkman, and Sydney Kibler each recorded an RBI.
It was a pitcher's duel early, as both sides delivered perfect innings to start the game.
Chang recorded the game's first hit in the top of the second inning with a leadoff double, but three straight groundouts helped North Georgia escape without damage.
The Nighthawks got their first baserunner in the third inning with a two-out walk, but a strikeout looking ended the threat.
Murphy continued to dominate, going five straight innings without allowing a hit and striking out the side in the fifth inning to keep the game scoreless.
After Murphy carried a no-hitter through six innings, both teams scored in the seventh.
Saria Simmons opened the inning with a single through the left side, and Chang followed with her second hit to put runners on first and second. The Sand Sharks later loaded the bases when Katelyn Boyette was hit by a pitch. Emma Brinkman delivered the game's first run with an RBI single, scoring Simmons for a 1–0 lead.
USCB added more as Sydney Kibler drew a bases-loaded walk to make it 2–0. The final run came on a Conway single up the middle, scoring Boyette, though North Georgia threw out a runner at the plate attempting to score a second run on the play.
North Georgia broke up the no-hitter and shutout with a leadoff home run in the seventh.
Murphy responded by retiring the next three batters to seal the 3–1 victory, as the Sand Sharks upset the No. 3 team in Division II softball.
GAME TWO:
Katelyn Boyette led the Sand Sharks offensively with two hits and two RBIs. Saria Simmons added a hit, a run scored, and two RBIs. Emily Morgan pitched the final 1 1/3 innings scoreless in relief.
The Sand Sharks threatened early with a leadoff single by Conway, followed by Simmons reaching base to put runners on first and second, but North Georgia escaped without allowing a run.
The Nighthawks struck in the bottom of the first inning, scoring two runs after putting their first two batters on base. A sacrifice fly plated the first run, and a wild pitch brought in the second for a 2–0 lead.
North Georgia added another run in the second inning with an RBI groundout to extend the lead to 3–0.
USCB answered in the third inning, rallying to tie the game. With runners on the corners, a sacrifice fly by Taelor Chang brought in the first run. Boyette followed with a two-RBI single, scoring Simmons and Tamiyah Whitlock to even the game at 3–3.
North Georgia responded with three runs in the bottom of the third. A sacrifice fly gave them a 4–3 lead, and a two-RBI single extended it to 6–3.
The Sand Sharks continued to battle, scoring two runs in the fourth inning. After a leadoff single, Simmons delivered a two-RBI double to cut the deficit to 6–5.
However, North Georgia extended the lead in the fifth inning. An RBI single made it 7–5, followed by another to push the lead to 8–5. With the bases loaded, a three-RBI single extended the advantage to 11–5.
The Nighthawks closed out the win to split the doubleheader and even the series. The finale is set for Saturday, with first pitch scheduled for noon.
