HARDEEVILLE, S.C. – For the third time this season, The Thomas University softball team finished the day splitting with a The Sun Conference, and for the second time this season, the Lady Night Hawks split with USC-Beaufort, falling 5-1 in Game One before taking Game Two in a 3-2 comeback win at the Richard Gray Sports Complex.
 
Game One Recap (USCB 5, TU 1)
TU (14-12. 5-7 TSC) tallied six hits with no errors, as Senior Rebecca Boesen (7-4) allowed three unearned runs in four hits in one and a third innings pitched.
 
The Sand Sharks (15-13, 6-6 TSC) struck first in the bottom of the second, scoring off a passed ball and a RBI by Amber Locasto to take a 2-0 lead.  After the following at-bat loaded the bases and threatened to break the game open, Boesen was pulled for Junior Larran Carter.  The Sun Conference Player of the Week was able to get the Lady Night Hawks out of a jam, but not before the Sand Sharks capitalized off a Jodi Hatcher walk to extend the lead 3-0.
 
With two outs in the top of the third, Freshman Rebecca Dorsett provided a spark for the Hunter Green & White, singling to left center that led to a stolen base turned scoring opportunity off a throwing error from Catcher Bri Dunn to cut the deficit to two runs (3-1).
 
The Lady Night Hawks would only manage three more hits for the remainder of Game One, as runs in the fourth and sixth innings for the Sand Sharks would seal a 5-1 win.
 
In four and two-third innings pitched, Carter gave up two earned runs in three hits while recording six strikeouts.
 
Game Two Recap (TU 3, USCB 2)
The Lady Night Hawks once again put up six hits in the contest with no errors, as Junior Shaela Brown (2-2) picked up the win after allowing just two earned runs in six hits and throwing two strikeouts in 80 pitches.
 
Thomas worked quickly to get in scoring position, loading the bases in four at-bats, but a tag out at home plate off a fielder's choice hit by Freshman Jada Bolar, paired with a strikeout on the next at-bat denied TU a chance to score the game's first run.  
 
Down 2-0 in the top of the sixth, the Lady Night Hawks began its comeback run that started off with three straight hits, complemented with a stolen base from Sheppard that brought in a run to cut the Sand Sharks' lead 2-1.  After Sophomore Addyson Mauldin struck out on the next at-bat, Bolar tied the game with a RBI single down the right line.  The Lady Night Hawks would follow up with the go-ahead run (3-2) off a sacrifice fly from Freshman Adreanna Killingsworth.
 
Carter entered the bottom of the sixth after Brown walked the leadoff hitter, where the Thomasville, Ga. native continued to show fans the performance of a conference pitcher of the week, throwing three, straight strikeouts off full counts to end the inning. 
 
Carter completed the close in the bottom of the seventh with two flyouts and another strikeout to pick up her second save of the season and preserve a 3-2 victory for the Lady Night Hawks' 15th win of the season.
 
TU by the Numbers
2:        Larran Carter Saves
3:        Career Wins over USCB for Shaela Brown
4:        Total Runs Scored on the day
5:        The Sun Conference Wins
12:      Total Hits on the day
13:      Combined Strikeouts by the pitching staff on the day
14:      Overall Wins
17:      Different Players Used
129:    Total Pitches thrown by Larran Carter on the day
 
Thomas will have another week to recuperate, as the Lady Night Hawks are back on the clay Wednesday against #18 Warner University in Lake Wales, Fla. for more TSC doubleheader play.  First pitch is scheduled for 5 p.m.
 
For up-to-date information on this game and other TU Athletics, visit www.TUNightHawks.com.  Stay up-to-date with news, scores, photos, game summaries, and feature stories of your TU softball team by following them via Twitter at @NightHawksSoftb.