THOMASVILLE, Ga. — The Thomas University softball team splits its doubleheader against the University of South Carolina-Beaufort, winning game one 4-1 before falling 6-1 to the Sand Sharks on Friday afternoon.
Game 1: Thomas 4, USC-Beaufort 1
The series opener began with three scoreless innings as both starting pitchers worked a nearly flawless game heading into the third.
In the top of the third, USCB picked up its first hit of the contest, but the Night Hawks (23-19, 10-13 SUN) then responded with a hit of their own in the bottom of the third, as a Taylor Lanphere double represented the first runner in scoring position for either team.
Despite the Lanphere double, the Night Hawks came up short in the inning, unable to turn the double into a run.
Both team's bats began to heat up, as each team responded in the fourth by advancing one runner in for a score.
After falling behind to the Sand Sharks in the top of the fourth, TU's Averie Sheppard was driven in by a Dara Moore sacrifice fly, tying the ballgame 1-1.
Then, both teams went three-up three-down in the fifth, before a Sand Shark single turned into a double after a stolen base, in the sixth. A fly ball into the outfield then advanced USCB's go ahead run to third, but TU's Larran Carter forced an infield popup to relieve the pressure and end the inning.
With the ballgame tied at one apiece, the Night Hawks headed into bottom of the sixth, with Averie Sheppard reaching first on an error, and a Holly Campbell hit the Night Hawks hat two runners in scoring positing with just one out.
With the tied 1-1, Adreanna Killingsworth held nothing back in her next next at bat, sending a deep homer far past the left field wall, solidifying the 4-1 win.
The home run marked Killingsworth's fifth of the season, putting the junior tied for sixth on the SUN Conference leaderboard.
In the win, Carter allowed just four hits and one run, improving to 15-8 on the year.
Game 2: USC-Beaufort 6, Thomas 1
Game two proved to be a complete reversal from game one, as the Sand Sharks utilized stellar pitching, efficient batting, and Night Hawk errors to score six runs in seven innings.
USCB jumped out to an early lead in the opening frame, after a walk and infield error turned a single into a triple, bringing in one runner, 1-0.
The next at bat for the Sand Sharks then drove that baserunner in from third, doubling the lead in the top of the first, 2-0.
The middle innings of the contest then produced no Night Hawk hits or runs, as USCB extended its lead to 3-0 in the top of the sixth.
After that, the Sand Sharks tallied three additional runs in the top of the seventh, 6-0, as junior Michelle Norvell entered the contest, inheriting all three runs in the final inning.
A solo run did come across in the bottom of the seventh for the Night Hawks, but it was too-little too-late, as a pair of fly balls ended the contest, 6-1.
In the end, both the Night Hawks and Sand Sharks got a crucial win in the conference series, as both teams remain tied in SUN play sitting at 10-13.
Saturday's important series finale is scheduled to start at noon, with both teams fighting for tournament seeding.
Fans unable to attend can follow along by accessing the links below.
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For up-to-date information on Thomas University Softball 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.
