ORANGEBURG, SOUTH CAROLINA - The University of South Carolina Beaufort baseball team closed out a three-game series against the Claflin Panthers with a doubleheader on Saturday afternoon. The two teams split the twin bill, as the Sand Sharks run-ruled the Panthers in game one, 18–6, before Claflin used a ninth-inning walk-off to win game two.
GAME ONE
The Sand Sharks were led offensively by Noah Campbell, who finished with four hits, three runs scored, and an RBI. Maddox Robinson recorded a team-high four RBIs while adding three hits and two runs scored. In total, six different players had at least two hits, and six hitters recorded at least two RBIs. Jake Rice pitched three scoreless innings.
USCB jumped out early after a leadoff single by Campbell sparked one of three straight hits to open the game. Following a Cooper McDaniel single, Luke Doty drove in Campbell with an RBI single. Tyler Gundelfinger later added a sacrifice fly to center field for a 2–0 lead.
Claflin answered with a run in the bottom half of the inning after a leadoff single and stolen base set up an RBI single, cutting the lead to 2–1.
In the second inning, the Sand Sharks offense erupted for six runs, highlighted by a Raeder McIntire solo home run. After loading the bases, Gundelfinger drove in his second run with an RBI walk. Jon Davis followed with a two-RBI single to extend the lead to 6–1. Robinson drew another bases-loaded walk, and McIntire capped the inning with his second RBI, pushing the lead to 8–1.
Claflin responded with four runs in the third, using an RBI single, a bases-loaded walk, and a two-RBI double to cut the deficit to 8–5.
The Panthers added another run in the fourth on a sacrifice fly, trimming the lead to 8–6.
USCB answered in the fifth. After a double and a single, Kris Levensteins delivered a two-RBI double to score Gundelfinger and Davis. Robinson followed with a two-run home run to make it 12–6, and Campbell added an RBI single for a 13–6 lead.
In the seventh, Robinson and Levensteins hit back-to-back doubles to extend the lead to 14–6. McDaniel added a two-RBI double, Tanner Wagnon contributed a sacrifice fly, and McDaniel later scored on an error as the Sand Sharks pushed the lead to 18–6.
USCB closed out the run-rule victory, clinching the series win over the Panthers.
GAME TWO
The offense was led by Maddox Robinson, Tyler Gundelfinger, Nicholas Barcelo, and Jon Davis, who each recorded two hits. Davis led the team with three RBIs. Zack McQuiston pitched 5 1/3 innings with six strikeouts, while Cole Thomas added 1 2/3 scoreless innings with two strikeouts.
Both teams had opportunities early but were unable to score, keeping the game scoreless through the first inning.
The game remained 0–0 until the fourth inning, when Gundelfinger led off with a double and later scored on an RBI single by McIntire to give USCB a 1–0 lead.
Claflin responded in the sixth inning with five runs. An RBI double and RBI single were followed by three consecutive bases-loaded walks, giving the Panthers a 5–1 advantage.
USCB got one run back in the seventh after two singles and a double steal set up a Gundelfinger RBI groundout, cutting the deficit to 5–2.
In the eighth, Barcelo singled and later scored on a Jon Davis double, making it 5–3 heading into the ninth.
In the ninth inning, USCB rallied. After loading the bases, Davis tied the game with a two-RBI single, scoring McIntire and Gundelfinger. A wild pitch brought in Luke Doty for a 6–5 lead, and a sacrifice fly by Terry Dean extended the lead to 7–5.
However, in the bottom of the ninth, Claflin responded with back-to-back singles before hitting a walk-off three-run home run to secure an 8–7 victory.
USCB returns to action on Saturday, April 11, on the road against Eckerd College.
