DAHLONEGA, GEORGIA – The University of South Carolina Beaufort Softball team faced Georgia College and State University in the first round of the quarterfinals of the Peach Belt Conference Tournament. GCSU used a four-run third inning to take a 4-0 lead before stopping a Sand Shark comeback and sealing a 5-3 win over USCB.
Madison Murphy pitched a complete six innings in the game, striking out four Bobcats in the playoff opener. The Sand Sharks had six different players record a hit, while Katelyn Boyette and Emma Brinkman drove in runs. Brinkman hit a solo home run for the Sand Sharks' first run of the game.
Georgia College looked to strike first in the bottom of the opening inning, putting a runner in scoring position following a stolen base, but a called strikeout by Murphy kept the game scoreless through one inning. Caleigh Eubanks was the Sand Sharks' first baserunner with a single in the second inning, but Georgia College worked around it as the game remained tied 0-0.
The scoreless tie was broken in the third inning after a single and a hit batter set up runners on first and second before a single into left field scored the first run of the game following a Sand Sharks error on the play. A second single back up the middle pushed across run number two before a two-RBI single added two more runs for a 4-0 Bobcats lead through three innings.
It remained 4-0 into the top of the fifth inning when Emma Brinkman started the rally with a leadoff solo home run to put the Sand Sharks on the board, trailing 4-1. Catharine Conway and Saria Simmons then drew walks before the second run scored on a Bobcats error, followed by an RBI single from Katelyn Boyette to cut the deficit to 4-3 before GCSU escaped the inning.
The Bobcats looked to answer by putting the first two runners on base to start the bottom of the fifth inning, but a double play started by Murphy helped the Sand Sharks escape the inning still trailing 4-3.
Alyssa Rose then started the sixth inning with a single back up the middle before reaching second on a sacrifice bunt. Catharine Conway followed with a single and a stolen base, setting up runners on second and third, but the Bobcats escaped the inning holding onto the 4-3 lead.
In the bottom of the inning, Georgia College hit a solo home run to extend its lead to 5-3 going into the final inning. The Sand Sharks had the tying run at the plate, but the Bobcats worked out of the inning to seal the 5-3 win over USCB.
USCB ended the season with a final record of 30-22, as its trip to the Peach Belt Conference Tournament came to an end in the quarterfinals against GCSU.
